Worcester Tops In DUI Conviction Rate

SNOW HILL — The Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office has again been recognized for having the highest conviction rate in alcohol and drug-related driving offenses in the state.

The results of a study completed by the University of Maryland’s National Study Center for Trauma and EMS released last week revealed the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office handled 841 driving while impaired and driving while intoxicated cases from May 2019 to May 2020 and had secured a 92.7% conviction rate in those cases, which is the highest among all jurisdictions in the state. The distinction is one Worcester County has earned for several years dating back to prior administrations in Snow Hill.

The data is collected and compiled by the Maryland State’s Attorney’s Association each year. The association tracks the overall success rate on drunk-driving cases for each jurisdiction over the last year.

“We are very proud of our efforts and our proven results in the prosecution of DUI cases in Worcester County,” Worcester County State’s Attorney Kris Heiser said. “We want to continue to spread the word that when you’re caught driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in our county, you have a 92.7% chance of being convicted, thanks to the excellent work of our police and prosecutors. Worcester County residents can rest assured knowing that this conviction rate means our roads are safer because we are holding violators accountable.”

Heiser added, “I want to thank all of our police agencies for aggressively patrolling the roadways in search of these dangerous drivers. Each time our officers conduct a traffic stop that leads to a DUI arrest, we want citizens to know that they can count on Worcester County prosecutors to finish the job in court.”

About The Author: Shawn Soper

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Shawn Soper has been with The Dispatch since 2000. He began as a staff writer covering various local government beats and general stories. His current positions include managing editor and sports editor. Growing up in Baltimore before moving to Ocean City full time three decades ago, Soper graduated from Loch Raven High School in 1981 and from Towson University in 1985 with degrees in mass communications with a journalism concentration and history.