The Antelope Valley Times

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29 arrested, none for DUI at Lancaster checkpoint

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LANCASTER – No one was arrested for driving under the influence, but more than two dozen drivers were arrested for various other violations at a DUI checkpoint in Lancaster Friday night and early Saturday morning.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Lancaster Station conducted the checkpoint from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Avenue K near Elm Avenue, authorities said.

The results of the Lancaster checkpoint are as follows:

* 1000 vehicles traveled through the checkpoint.

* 964 drivers were checked at the checkpoint.

* 19 unlicensed drivers were arrested and sent to court.

* 7 suspended/revoked drivers were arrested and sent to court.

* 2 suspects were arrested for allowing an unlicensed driver to drive a vehicle they own.

* 1 suspect was arrested for a warrant.

* 7 vehicles were impounded for 30 days.

* 3 vehicles were stored for one day.

* 17 vehicles were released per checkpoint release procedures.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting additional DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoints and DUI Saturation Patrols throughout the upcoming year as part of an ongoing commitment to lowering traffic-related deaths and injuries.

Funding for these operations is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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Filed Under: Crime/ Safety

52 comments for "29 arrested, none for DUI at Lancaster checkpoint"

  1. Checkpoints are a revenue generating scam. That’s why do nothing, have nothing AV relies on them so heavily. Most car accidents aren’t even related to DUI, and everybody knows cops are the biggest boozing drivers of anybody. Criminal charges are for Joe Paycheck to have his bank account sucked dry.

  2. Checkpoints = easy money. Good way to pray on whoever is unlucky enough to drive through. Something about being pulled over without reason seems unconstitutional, don’t you think? I mean, I thought Republicans were against big government.

    • Prey? Unlucky? No, how about dumb for either being under the influence of driving when they’re not supposed to.

      • Maybe you missed the part where no one was arrested for DUI. This was just a revenue generating stop.

        • Your moniker works this time! Good choice for naming yourself.

          If you break laws, you get dinged. Sometimes it is a warning, sometimes a fine, sometimes jail. Drive without a license, ding fine. Drive without insurance, ding fine. Drive with a busted tail light, ding fixit ticket, usually very minor filing fee for dealing with you since you did not deal with the problem before getting caught.
          Drive drunk, DING, jail, fines, etc.

          How not to get dinged, keep everything up to date and in proper working order, then you will not be anotherdummy.

  3. I’m fine with the check points, really. I just wish they could arrest illegal aliens. Aren’t they breaking the law, too?

      • Another Greg! Howdy!

        He did not free anyone or allow them to be citizens. They just will not be hounded using a blanket priority and instead will be hounded based on criminal activity first, then singles on the wrong side of the border, then families, then families with kids that are citizens due to being born here.

    • While they are here illegally the sheriff can not do anything about until they break a law under their jurisdiction. Immigration is a Federal issue not a county issue. The many many layers of laws.

  4. abcnews.go.com/Travel/story?id=118913 beware of unlicensed drivers

    The LA Times also had an article about unlicensed drivers

    so for those who think the cops should NOT be doing this or it is a waste of time read and be informed.

  5. No license and no insurance = NO DRIVING. Take the bus, ride a bicycle, walk or call a cab or friend. You do not have a RIGHT to drive it is privilege grant by the government.

    • Yeah it is illegal but checkpoints and asking people without cause for identification is also illegal per the constitution. If we are going to have checkpoints under the guise of detecting drunk drivers cops shouldn’t be able to arrest people going through for any other reason.

  6. They need to patrol the side streets and back streets more and find the drunk drivers that way. They are out there and obviously if there is a check point it will be posted on social media. You got to remember AV isnt like a typical city it is spread out, so patrols need to be spread out and cover more vround.

    • As a society we should function without rules? As citizen do we just pick and choose which rules to follow? How do we decide who is poor enough or needy enough to be allowed to be exempt?

      To be able to drive, you have to follow certain rules. if you break those rules, you loose that privilege.

      • I think not wanting to be stopped by police without cause is more libertarian than liberal. There are many issues here which people may or may not want to discuss. It’s easy to have a knee jerk reaction. But does that forward the discussion?

        I’m sure you wouldn’t want the police coming to your home to check you have an up to date drivers license and car registration. Nor would you want to take a breath test for alcohol when you are having a business dinner with your most important customer and their spouse. I only write this to demonstrate there is a balance. Personally I don’t agree with drunk driving stops. Surprisingly what bothers me most is based on results I’ve seen for years these side of the road stops have almost nothing to do with drunk driving. Maybe if they called them Drivers License stops it would make more sense. But I’ve got a feeling Drivers License stops for that purpose only would not be legal. It’s the danger of drunk driving that makes it legal. Now, who is getting arrested and losing their vehicles. I would guess mostly poor and undocumented people. You may agree or disagree whether this is a good thing. But let’s be honest about these DUI checkpoints. They are not about DUI. We have a confrontational legal system. Our government continues to work toward having more power and different people and organizations work to reign them in. I believe this is a case where government is overstepping and doing damage.

        • Safety Inspection Checks (SIC)
          I like the idea of renaming them because they do cover a wide range of things.

          • Its safe to live in a bubble too but probably not much fun and definitely not the definition of freedom. Ideas like yours are why we have a lot less freedom today than 20 or 50 years ago.

    • So you’re implying we are in Nazi Germany/ North Korea/ Russia/ China. I have no problem with the request for my driver license (privilege not a right) while operating my vehicle on public roads. You will for sure be asked that in other countries plus your passport. Of course you are free to move at any time to another country there are millions who want to come and stay here.

      • The majority of car accidents don’t even involve DUI. But hey, the ones that do make for good news copy. If it bleeds it leads. DUI checkpoints without one single DUI. And don’t think the pigs aren’t warning their friends, family, girlfriends and anybody else that’s got an in with them where the checkpoints are.

          • Yep, and the other 80% of car accidents have nothing to do with DUI. And, according to the NHTSA website(whom provides stats for MADD), the majority of fatal DUI accidents are people over .15 BAC. Low BAC garbage is about arrest stats, insurance increases, probation hoops to jump through, fines, and increasing revenue. And, don’t forget the marijuana DUI scam that they have recently latched onto with their faked statistics and skewed methods for determining impairment.

      • I don’t think you have traveled much internationally and you have definitely not driven much. I’ve driven across dozens of countries and rarely been asked for identification (except for petty bribe requests which I would gladly take over our system). In no way can you say that driving in the US is more free than 90% of the rest of the countries in the world.

        CHP alone is something that I have only seen in the US – in most places there are rarely tax trolls er CHP officers ticketing people going about their business.

  8. I am amazed at the number of arrests for unlicensed drivers and I am left wondering if these are kids? or what?…Glad they are off the road for now at least…I suppose an unlicensed driver can also be someone who hasn’t renewed their license and let it expire as well? Like the one who decided to drink and drive on expired tags on their vehicle and a expired driver’s license and no insurance …don’t worry folks they get out the very next day even if they blow a .22 and completely total your car…and guess what nothing stops them from doing it all over again! I don’t blame the cops…they are just doing their thankless job…I do appreciate their efforts…but until we pass tougher laws this never-ending cycle that has been created within our Judicial System will never be fixed. But along with tougher laws we need more prisons and judges willing to hand down tough punishments so that people get the message that their bad decisions and law-breaking will not be tolerated anymore!

    • Me2 why so many w/out license? Could be $25 to apply for license is more than someone has, but friend might have a car to drive. . . I think it’s a sign of times, people too broke to even get a license. My 2 cents

      • If someone can’t afford $25 for a license, they really shouldn’t be driving. Chances are the people without licenses cannot obtain one for different reasons.

    • This year I knew I had to renew my license. DMV has my current address. Two days before expiring I walked into DMV to see what had happened since I never received a renewal by mail. I quote, “Oh we wanted to see you for an eye exam.” to which I asked wouldn’t it be better if you notified me I needed an eye exam via mail rather than zero notification. If I had not been on top of things I would have been driving expired.

  9. All this anger towards deputies who are just enforcing already existing laws., why? I am shocked that so many feel that it is acceptable to drive around either uninsured, unlicensed or both. Do people not realize that these drive up rates for everyone? Also, why are those licenses revoked or suspended?

    I am pretty sure once these same people are struck by an uninsured motorist their tunes will change. Even if you carry uninsured motorist coverage, you are still paying for someone else’s bad life choices by having to have that extra layer of insurance. I guess you could say that those uninsured drivers are the ones extorting money in a way. They are forcing other drivers to pay for their decisions.

  10. after reading the majority of this junk no wonder were the bottom feeders for la county quit complaining unless your guilty ! they shouldn’t let anybody go that’s breaking any law and no these checkpoints target the idiots that ignore responsibility,if you cant afford insurance don’t drive, get a bike .follow the laws and become something good that can contribute to our society. Go ahead officers harass all of them, you know the cars with one headlight, multiple dents,cracked glass,loud sound system( for the i need attention crowd automobiles) its proof darwins theory exists

    • 19 unlicensed drivers off of the road and more results. If you don’t fit into any of these categories you shouldn’t have to worry. Peace officers are doing what they need to do in this scum of a valley.

  13. When I roll through a DUI check point I usually am not stopped. Why? Car is in good repair, all lights function, proper distance, not distracted, not acting like I have something to hide. On the rare occasion where I end up as the ‘random’ stop for no reason at all then I have my license, registration and current proof of insurance at the ready. I speak politely to the officers, and of course have not been drinking, smoking pot or taking medication that impairs me.

    Another big thing, I take care of any tickets I do get on the road in a very timely manner with no excuses. Hey they caught me, so I pay with a grimace (geesh those fees are high with that state boost (which I feel is illegal, should just be the fee and normal tax for the county).

    In other words, do not be a criminal, or act like a criminal and you will not be treated as a criminal. I have seen folks that normally act/look like thug life exemplified go right through a check because they were polite and acting responsible.

      • Compared to the populace I live around, yes I am a minority. Skin color does not matter as I have been a passenger in cars with drivers of many nationalities and skin tones. We rarely get pulled over unless we did something wrong, and at checkpoints it has been random as to if we get stopped or not but have never been ticketed or harassed.
        It really does come down to A. Attitude, B. Taking care of vehicle, C. keeping paperwork current.

  14. Wasting money, just harassing people. At the same time of the checkpoint there was two major accidents nearby. One accident at Avenue K and 25th three people died. The other accident was at Sierra and J. Now, what did the checkpoint do? It didn’t prevent those accidents. Stop the checkpoints! I’m sure you have other ways to extort money from people.

  15. Half the cops working these checkpoints spend their off time sitting at the bar and driving home. They cover for eachother. Criminal charges are for the proles.

  16. Wow…so why do they call it a DUI checkpoint when they are looking for everything else? They caught not one drunk. I guess they are just broke and looking for more court fees to fund what ever projects they need at this time. SMH.

    • all bs just harassing the public for the holidays its sad when so many other things need their attention.

      • If individuals were responsible drinkers by using designated drivers, taxi/cabs or walking when they irresponsible and getting drunk and not having a plan then there would be no need for DUI check points. I suppose you haven’t lost someone or known someone’s life cut short by one of these irresponsible drivers.

        • Which clearly a DUI checkpoint didn’t protect those you loved. Contrary to popular belief, these checkpoints target the impoverished… people who struggle to afford insurance and other bureaucratic fees, costs.

          It’s oppression at its finest.

          3 people died less than 2 miles from this checkpoint. Including a young child.

          • Are you implying that is someone who is impoverished should be allowed to break the law?

            Have you even been hit by someone without insurance? It is frustrating and expensive to say the least. Why am I being punished for their mistakes?

            I am so tired of people making excuses for bad life choices. If you cannot afford insurance do not drive, If you do not have a license, do not drive. Simple as that.

            If a person says that they have to drive to get to work, ok fine. At midnight or later, how many of those drivers who were cited were actually driving to or from work? Very few I am sure, the rest were out on the road for their own personal selfish reasons. Yes selfish because they were driving illegally no matter what the reason.

            Your comment about the tragic accident earlier in the evening has no bearing on a DUI checkpoint. It was already concluded that alcohol was not a factor not to mention that seatbelts were not being worn. BTW, not to mention that not wearing seatbelts is a crime.

          • The story behind my stand for DUI checkpoints is because I knew the individual who was killed while concluding a DUI checkpoint and the individual who killed him trying to avoid the DUI checkpoint. What makes it worse the individual had received a mandatory briefing Drink, Don’t Drive. The officer lost his life that morning in which he was due to get married the following month and a young man lost a promising future in the military and spending the better part of his life behind bars. During the check over 10 suspects was apprehended no to include diving with no/invalid drivers license or no insurance. Driving is a privilege but if you drive it’s more of a responsibility. Irresponsible driving plaid more to those accidents but I don’t want to overshadow the families loss.

    • The cops out here have nothing better to than just drive around or ceaspool valley and stop people over for walking down the street, or riding that bike you talk about riding when you have no D.L. I see it everyday. I know, I know they are just doing their thankless job. wait until you call them because someone stole your kids bike or they broke into your home, if your lucky they will be there within 4 hours. get caught shoplifting at walmart, they are there in 10 minutes, thats because they can make an arrest. gotta love though!