LANCASTER – The California Highway Patrol conducted roving patrols this past weekend in the Antelope Valley as part of an effort to keep the motoring public safe during the 77th annual Antelope Valley Fair and Alfalfa Festival.
Eleven additional units [22 officers] were deployed during the CHP’s Impaired Driver Task Force (IDTF) operation, which was conducted from 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22 to 6 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 23, according to CHP Officer Gil Hernandez.
Hernandez said the task force was extremely successful in removing impaired drivers from the road.
“The IDTF detail resulted in 21 DUI arrests, one felony arrest and one other arrest through the early hours of Sunday morning compared to 18 DUI and three felony arrests made during the same time the year prior,” Hernandez said.
The CHP will continue to saturate the Antelope Valley for the duration of the A.V. Fair, which runs through Aug. 30. At least one DUI checkpoint will be conducted by the CHP during that time, as well.
“Anytime we take an impaired driver off the road, we are potentially saving lives,” stated Captain Gretchen M. Jacobs, Commander of the Antelope Valley Area Office. “You can rest assured that if you drive under the influence of any substance, the CHP will stop you, arrest you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
The California Highway Patrol encourages everyone to celebrate and enjoy the Antelope Valley Fair and Alfalfa Festival by doing so responsibly.
A DUI crash or arrest can be averted in a number of ways, advises the CHP, which issued the following tips to local residents:
- Refrain from drinking if you are the driver.
- Ride with someone who has not been drinking.
- Use public transportation or call a taxi or a friend if you have been drinking.
- Select a designated driver.
For more information, contact CHP Antelope Valley Officer Gil Hernandez at 661-948-8541.
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RG says
Go to the fair and have a good time. You don’t have to drink, it’s not like someone is forcing you to. Be a responsible adult use your head. Stop blaming law enforcement for the check points. They are just doing their job. There is NO excuse for drinking and driving. Take responsibility for you own actions.
ProudExAVResident says
The Antelope Valley: go for a celebration, end up on probation. They pretend to frown upon people having some drinks and driving in A.V., but they actually love it. If everybody stayed home in the Antelope Valley, that sh!thole would lose they only way they have to generate revenue. An 8.0 earthquake would be an improvement to A.V.
Your comment says
sounds like a broken record.
Boozer says
Not much different on the BLVD than at the Fair when it comes to drinking.
Jason Zink says
It would be nice if the Highway Patrol worked with the fair and did pro-active awareness signs in entrance and exits, parking lots, and beer gardens. Its always Emphasis on catching and locking up not on prevention, that’s my biggest beef about local government educating the public. Awareness campaign.
Boozer says
It would be nicer if the fair wasn’t such a drunk fest. No limits on how much booze you can push down your pie hole. Same goes for the go cart races, Celebrate Americans, Field of Beers, and all the events. Booze, booze, booze.
Tim Scott says
Our local government’s version of awareness campaigning involved “let’s move the fair out into the desert so that absolutely everyone who goes to it has no choice but to drive and pretend that we are unaware that the fair is in fact a drunken festival.”
h says
Good job!!! I was young once and got a DWI. Iam grateful that I was caught. I changed my ways and simply didn’t do it again.
Rankin says
Good job CHP. You and LACSD know where the “hot spots” are. Hope they are as well patrolled……
a.v. poppy says
Well, that pretty much sums it up. Let’s see Don’t drive while impaired. AT ALL
. Got it