PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Law enforcement in Pinellas County teamed up Saturday night for one of their DUI Wolf Pack operations, which are an effort to keep drunk drivers off the road.
This operation was dedicated to a man named Peter Chenhall, who was killed by a drunk driver in February 2018 while walking on the sidewalk in St. Pete Beach.
PINELLAS NEWS | The latest headlines from Pinellas County
Peter’s father spoke to law enforcement at the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office ahead of the Wolf Pack to thank them for what they are doing. He also spoke about the pain that comes from losing a child unexpectedly at the hands of a drunk driver.
“It just angers you that you never get over,” said Steve Chenhall.
It’s a pain Steve Chenhall doesn’t want any parent to ever have to go through.
“It’s not easy. It’s, everyday I think of something, ‘oh I can hardly wait to talk to Pete about that tonight,’” said Steve.
His 38-year-old son Peter was killed by a drunk driver while walking on the sidewalk on Blind Pass Road on Feb. 17, 2018.
“When the police knocked on my door the next morning, they said Pete was killed in a DUI accident, I said, 'he wasn’t driving? Who was he riding with?' They said he wasn’t riding he was walking,” said Steve.
Saturday’s DUI Wolf Pack is dedicated to Peter in hopes of preventing any other family from getting that dreaded knock on the door.
“We’re gonna start from the top of the county and we’re gonna just stop cars for traffic infractions, and remove impaired drivers from the roadway,” said Sgt. Mark Eastty, with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
But it's also to help prevent any law enforcement from having to have that conversation.
“When you have to tell a family their 20 or 30 year old son or daughter or whatever is not coming home because somebody went out and had too many drinks and didn’t take a $6 Uber ride home, it’s horrible,” said Cpl. Nick Giordano, with Clearwater PD.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office says these DUI Wolf Pack operation’s remove nearly 30 drunk drivers from the roadway on average each night they are conducted.
It’s a team effort to keep everyone safe.
“There’s too many opportunities, cabs, trolleys, friends will come and get you, don’t take a chance,” said Steve.
Law enforcement in Pinellas County say they plan to hold these DUI Wolf Packs periodically throughout the year.
