17 Killed in Ohio Crashes During Christmas-to-New Year’s Period

The State Highway Patrol says 13 people died in Ohio crashes during the long Christmas weekend and four more died during the four-day period around the New Year’s holiday.

The patrol has said preliminary data show the state had about 1,080 traffic fatalities in 2016.

The agency says the statistics for the New Year’s period showed a significant drop in traffic deaths from the comparable time a year earlier, when 11 people were killed.

Troopers especially focused on targeting drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs during the year-end holidays. The patrol says about 280 people were arrested for impaired driving between Dec. 23 and Dec. 26, and about 400 were arrested for that between Dec. 30 and Jan. 2.