Holiday drinks can turn deadly...

Local law enforcement is targeting two crimes tonight that often rise during the holidays.



Shreveport police and City Marshal deputies rounded up people wanted for stealing and drunk driving. The officers handcuffed and went after repeat offenders. "We concentrate on the DWIs because it makes the streets safer. When you're driving around with your family and somebody next to you is drunk they may cause an accident," Deputy Dennis Buckingham says more people steal around Christmas, trying to provide gifts, and some people end up drinking and driving after holiday parties.

But police say think before you get behind the wheel this Christmas season. Nbc 6 news reporter Karen Hopkins spoke with people who made the choice to drink and drive and it changed their lives forever.

“I was at the age of 19," and Bridget Rutherford had everything going for her. She was a good student, with lots of friends. “Well they're doing it and nothing is happening to them, they're under age and not getting in trouble."

So Rutherford made a choice to have a drink. “I said well as long as I don't drive nothing can happen to me I can't get a ticket or DWI. That's what she thought, until the night she got into a car with a friend who was too drunk to drive. “We hit the median and flipped eight times. At the age of 19, I learned firsthand the damaging effects of a lifetime one night can have.”
Her scars remind her every day. “You can reach your finger over my arm and feel two metal plates and 13 screws.”
She broke 17 bones. After 19 days in a coma, she had to learn how to walk, talk and even how to swallow food again. But she lost her sense of taste and smell forever. “So when I walk by the roses and take a big whiff I’m just pretending. I enjoy food because of the visual appearance, not because of the taste or flavor because I don't have that.”

“When I woke up there was a whole new life for me."
Ron Fletcher woke up paralyzed one night after he drank and got behind the wheel. “The stupid decision I made took away so many things in my life that I enjoy doing.”

Fletcher says he is grateful his mistake did not involve any other people on the road. In the US, every 45 minutes someone dies from an alcohol related crash, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

It’s all about making good decisions. If you are going to drink, give your keys to a friend. Make a plan before the party starts to have a designated driver.

If you do decide to drink at your holiday party, here are some tips to stay safe.
Sometimes it's hard to tell how much alcohol is in your cup. So, drink water in between cocktails. Or choose drinks with ice. Never go to a party on an empty stomach. Food helps slow down the absorption of alcohol. Also, snack throughout the evening. Stick to one kind of alcohol. Say no to drinks made with dark liquors that contain more toxic chemicals. Bar tenders say the clearer your drink, the fewer problems you'll have the next morning.