ANTELOPE VALLEY – California Highway Patrol officers arrested 14 people in the Antelope Valley for suspected drunk driving over the Labor Day weekend (8/31-9/3/12), authorities said.
During that time period, there were 18 traffic collisions in the Antelope Valley, three of which were DUI-related, the CHP reports. There were traffic-related fatalities on Saturday (read more here) and Sunday (read more here).
The three-day holiday – from 6 p.m. Friday to 11:59 p.m. Monday –was a Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP) for the CHP.
In Los Angeles County, CHP officers arrested 259 people on suspicion of drunken driving; and statewide, the CHP reported 960 DUI arrests.
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William says
Since drunk drivers kill more people in the United States than terrorists have ever done, shouldn’t DUI checkpoints be part of modern life like at other transportation venues, airports?
Just a thought for those who think that driving is a ‘right’ and not a ‘privilege’.
CRS says
Wouldn’t it be more effective to require ignition breathalyzers in California?
William says
Sure would but until then, what can a local community do?
LMGTFY says
Take all those LEOs that are busy with the road block and disperse them to patrol and monitor for impairment in driving, perhaps?
Sammy says
Not don’t go suggesting something that is PROVEN as being more effective. These idiot’s like be asked for their papers!
R.W says
18 crashes & 3 were caused by drunks, so that means 15 were caused by people who were sober…
realitycheck says
You have a constitutional right NOT to be inconvenienced for about 3 minutes? Where does it say that?
LMGTFY says
4th Ammendment, Illegal Search and Seizure without probable cause.
John Howard says
You are driving, it’s a Labor day weekend and it’s probable that you have been drinking. You were incoherent enough to drive into a DUI check point, like driving into any other stationary object, but with flashing lights. That alone is enough to be probable cause.
LMGTFY says
By that logic, since you live in the AV, it is probable you are a tweaker and have meth on you, so it is reasonable for a cop to detain you?
I am all about keeping drunks off the road, but sucking people into a squid trap and immediately pulling over anyone who sees the checkpoint and turns around is not a demonstration of acting with probable cause, and not the most efficient way ensuring hwy sobriety…
Sammy says
WOW 14 DUI arrests! Without a checkpoint? Say it ain’t so! Why that’s the equivalent of 7 months of DUI checkpoints. WITHOUT stomping on our constitutional rights with the “show us your papers” BS. DUH!
CF says
It only takes 1 drunk driver to end somebody’s life, or permanently disable one for life. As for papers, have you ever been in a accident with an unlicensed or uninsured driver? Usually the people against the check points are part of the problem and need to be taken off the road.
Sammy says
Righhhttttt! I don’t believe anyone has the right to stop me and demand identification just because they are curious, so I must be unregistered and uninsured, or don’t want to be inconvenienced for 3 minutes? That must be why my teachers used to tell us the difference between the Soviet Union and America was the SU could stop and demand ID cards. 60 years of teachers must of just wanted to not get insurance or be stopped for 3 minutes. And where do you get the 3 minutes? MAYBE 3min when you finally get to the black boots, 30 in line. But whatever don’t look at the difference in DUI arrests while patrolling vs checkpoints. If you REALLY want to get drunks off the street patrol!!!!
CF says
Driving is a privilege not a right
Palmdale_Steve says
And what part of the US Constitution enshrines this golden rule that you must not ever be bothered by as you put it the “black boots”? Where does your view of your “rights” come from, where are these rights set in stone, or on paper pray tell?
... says
Well Sammy… the solution is simple. DONT DRIVE THRU THE CHECKPOINT! You are not forced to drive through it. So, when you do, you’ve given your “permission” to be checked.
Sammy says
Except for the guys on bikes who come after you when you try to avoid them. Look, you all want to give up your American rights? Fine! But leave mine alone.
BTW real steve. You like so many others, are ignorant of our American rights. It says NOTHING in the constitution. IT’S IN THE BILL OF RIGHTS! dumbass!
4th amendment.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
... says
You are absolutely wrong. DUI checkpoint locations are set to comply with certain rules. One of them is that it is marked in advance, and that you have a legal way of avoiding it.
Now, if you enter the cone pattern, and then try to do a u-turn, or attempt to make an illegal u-turn before getting to the cones, then yes, they will come after you, as they should.
realitycheck says
@… don’t bother using facts to confuse poor Sammy. I want to help you here Sammy: Next time you enter a checkpoint, don’t stop, don’t roll your window down for the guy “in the boots”, in fact, just refuse to stop. It’s all within your rights.
Here goes, for those of us not named Sammy: the locations, setup, cone pattern, signs, etc are all governed by the State of CA. The local cops don’t make it up as they go. These have been ruled CONSTITUTIONAL many times by the courts. It’s not a search, unless of course your license is suspended/revoked, like Sammy and his family, then your car gets tossed up and impounded.
Palmdale_Steve says
Ding Ding Ding…Wrong again Goober Sammy.
Try Michigan Dept. of State Police v. Sitz, 496 U.S. 444 (1990)where the US Supreme Court ruled that sobriety checkpoints were permissible as reasonable searches under the 4th Amendment to the US Constitution, aka the Bill of Rights.
Please do run away from one of these checkpoints, spend the night in jail, do not pass jail and act the fool in general.
Sammy says
Again, you are sheep. A judge said it was OK to burn our 4th amendment rights? Bahhh Bahhh! As I’ve said before. Sheep!
Give up your rights! They seem to be wasted on you anyway. Leave mine alone!
I realize you’re just looking for a reason to justify your cowardice in not standing up for our rights!
As we send our young to die for right’s you all are more than willing to toss like garbage!
You should be ashamed! Those of the “Greatest Generation” would call you traitors!
Traitors against what was once a free country. Destroyed from within by a bunch of cowards!
... says
Sammy… the problem with you people, is that you learned a new term “4th Ammendment”, and prance around proclaiming everything to be a violation of this ammendment. But the truth is that you have no idea what the actual laws are.