Back to The Strip 2019 safely finished its eighth year Saturday night with police patrolling the streets, working to keep the roads fun and free of danger.
McMinnville Police Chief Bryan Denton told the Standard that burn-outs and other dangerous or irresponsible activities would not be allowed. However, some people did not listen and ended up with citations or warnings.
According to Chief Denton, one car accident occurred when an individual rear-ended the vehicle in front of them. Thirty-five traffic stops were made, with the majority being due to careless driving and seatbelt violations, and 15 tickets were handed out to those who were participating in illegal activities while driving.
No DUIs occurred, and no drugs or alcohol were discovered, as people enjoyed making their way down The Strip.
The traffic is backed up each year as people take to the streets during the annual occasion, but despite slow-moving traffic and a few cars stalling, there were no major incidents. Chief Denton indicated Saturday night went smoothly, saying, “The issues were minimal this year.”
Most of the careless driving included people performing burn-outs and using their phones while driving. One citation and several warnings were given to those using their cellphones or being distracted behind the wheel.
For more Back to The Strip coverage, see 4B.