(Lowell, IN) - Last weekend saw an increase in St. Patrick’s Day partiers and drunk drivers.

Between last Friday and last Sunday, Indiana State Police reported 116 traffic citations and 113 warnings on northwest Indiana highways. Troopers also made 17 O.W.I. arrests and investigated 18 crashes. There were also 24 arrests for other criminal offenses ranging from drug possession to indecent exposure and battery by bodily waste on a public servant.

Also of note, an off-duty state trooper was hit in his police car by an impaired driver.  In addition to an O.W.I. arrest, that driver was charged with two counts of neglect of a dependent, as there were two children in their vehicle at the time of the crash.