Lane County Sheriff's Office And Oregon State Police Joint Operation: Oregon Country Fair Saturation Patrols -07/18/22

UPDATE

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office conducted overtime patrols in the Veneta area around the Oregon Country Fair beginning Wednesday, July 6th and continued through Monday, July 11th. With grant monies provided through Oregon Impact and the Oregon Department of Transportation, the Sheriff’s Office was able to staff 88 hours of overtime patrol and enforcement during the event. Deputies focused on DUII, seatbelt, speeding and prohibited cell phone use. Deputies also assisted Lane Fire Authority with numerous calls for service in the surrounding area.

Activity from Sheriff’s Deputies during the event are as follows:

CITATIONS (125):

25 Seatbelt

65 Speeding

8 Driving while suspended/ No license

23 Misc. moving violations (fail to obey stop sign, fail unsafe turn, illegal u-turn, etc)

4 Misc. equipment violations

1 DUII

191 Warnings

OTHER CALLS FOR SERVICE:

1 Warrant Arrest

3 Trespass Complaints

3 Traffic Hazard Complaints

2 Theft Reports

1 Reckless Driving

2 Missing Person Complaints

3 Illegal Camping Complaints

1 Deceased Subject Report

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The Lane County Sheriff's Office and Oregon State Police will be conducting high visibility traffic enforcement patrols in the Veneta area during the Oregon Country Fair, held on July 8^th, 9^th and 10th, 2022.  Deputies and Troopers will be focusing on DUII enforcement, as well as speeding, seat belt and cell phone use violations.  Patrols begin Thursday (July 7^th) and will continue through Monday (July 11^th) as attendees remain in the area at campgrounds. The funding for these patrols is provided to LCSO through two Oregon Department of Transportation Traffic Safety grants administered by the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association, aimed at reducing the number of vehicle crashes and related injuries.  The grants are federally funded grant programs to provide overtime funding to participating Sheriff’s Offices for DUII and traffic enforcement. 

Annually, the Oregon Country Fair brings extremely high volumes of vehicle and pedestrian traffic to the area. Due to the resulting congestion in the area surrounding the Oregon Country Fair, speed limits have been reduced and posted as such. Restrictions are also posted for no parking and no U-turns along Hwy 126 and Suttle Rd. in the area. 

Drivers attending the event or traveling through the area should anticipate heavy traffic congestion. Flaggers will be present on Hwy 126 (near milepost 45) at the Fair’s main entrance during peak times to control traffic flows through the area.

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office wants to remind drivers to slow down, wear your seat belt and drive sober without distraction.