Articles Posted in DUI Checkpoint

This year’s Fourth of July weekend proved to be a weekend of poor decision making after celebrating; 48 DUI arrests were made by local police officers. During the same window of time these arrests were made, from 6 p.m. Thursday until 6 a.m. Saturday, one fatality was reported. The wreck that caused this fatality occurred on Thursday night in San Diego county on I-805, in the southbound lanes; south of El Cajon Blvd. The wreckage was a scene of a three vehicle affair; one of them being a semi-truck. The specific details of the crash are not yet available to report, but the unidentified driver of a sedan from the accident was sent to the hospital with extremely serious injuries – and later was pronounced dead on Friday by the Medical Examiner’s office, thus the lone fatality.

The fatality statistics are calculated county wide, but the DUI count is just based on local police arrests. The number of DUIs has increased slightly from the previous year, where CPH arrested a stunning 46 drunk drivers.

Across the state of California there were 15 fatalities and a monstrous grand total of 747 drunk drivers arrested, a huge leap from last year when 9 people lost their lives and 564 drivers were arrested for DUI. Four of the fatalities were the result of the individuals not using their seat-belt while in the vehicle. In addition to those four, two motorcyclists and a pedestrian were killed, the details of these incidents not yet released. Do not drink and drive! But if you happen to have a DUI charge already, make sure you have an awesome lawyer and check out our firm!

A couple of overnight checkpoints in San Diego this weekend proved necessary, for as many as twenty-three suspected drunk drivers were pulled over to ascertain their state of influence. Driving under the influence is one of the top offenses in the United States, taking countless lives by something entirely preventable. In a study done by MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), teens and young adults were tested (without them knowing it was a test) on whether they would take the passenger’s seat in a vehicle operated by a drunk driver. Shockingly, as many as 54% of them sealed their fate with a loose cannon behind the wheel.

The checkpoints this past weekend on May 17th and 18th were located on Mission Bay Drive near I-5 and 14th & G. They ran for about 4 hours, in a gap from approximately 11:00pm Saturday to 3:00am Sunday, where around 4,000 vehicles passed through in total. At 14th & G, almost 2,000 vehicles were subject to the checkpoint and screening process, with a whopping 880 of the drivers actually being screened. Of those 880, 24 drivers were detained for further evaluation and 10 additional drivers were arrested on the spot for DUI. The Mission Bay checkpoint was equally successful, with close to 1,900 vehicles being subject to screen, 772 actually being screened and 16 held for further evaluation; 13 of those held were subsequently arrested for driving under the influence.

These two checkpoints and many others were funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.

In Pacific Beach, a neighborhood of San Diego, seven drivers were arrested for drunk driving. The arrests were made at a routine overnight sobriety checkpoint, which started around 11:00 pm on April 12 and lasted until 3:00 am April 13. During the process, law enforcement’s attempt to ascertain whether there were possible DUI‘s proved successful. Along with the seven drivers taken into custody, eight vehicles were impounded.The total number of vehicles that drove through the checkpoint reached 746, with 585 being stopped for further examination. The sobriety checkpoint occurred on the 2600 block, a division of Ingraham St.

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“7 Arrested for DUI in Pacific Beach” – CBS8.com, April 13, 2014

A new DUI awareness campaign was launched in San Diego right before the Thanksgiving holiday. The launch, titled “RADD-OTS SD Hospitality DUI Task Force”, was put together by the entertainment industry’s leader in road safety, RADD, as well as the California Office of Traffic Safety, OTS. Both RADD and the OTS announced their team up during a holiday media event in the Gaslamp Quarter at famous restaurant Dick’s Last Resort, encouraging San Diegans to plan ahead before celebrating the holidays by designating a driver or calling a cab. The DUI task force has partnered up with local government, law enforcement, the military, area colleges, and road safety experts, in a commitment to reduce the number of DUIs and enhance public safety. In doing so, the task force is promoting responsible beverage service, alternate transportation options, designated drivers, and is focused on providing more overnight parking options. Deputy Administrator of the US Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Bill Kootsikas, cited a troubling 4.6 percent national increase for alcohol-related deaths and a 3.6 percent increase in California, in the past year alone. The new alliance between OTS and RADD however, has successfully designed immediate DUI prevention strategies in the region and many officials, including OTS Assistant Director of Operations David Doucette and President of RADD International Erin Meluso, are praising the task force for its powerful influence. Meluso, who lead RADD’s “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk” campaign, encouraged San Diegans to pledge, ‘from now on, I won’t let my friends drive drunk.’

San Diego’s Supervising Agent in Charge for The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Jennifer Hill, has stressed the need for San Diegans to start taking responsibility, including for Licensees to practice responsible alcohol service, ID checks, and employee training on the issue. She also suggested that families should make it a priority to communicate with one another and with friends on how to make responsible choices regarding withholding from driving while drinking. Overall, the holiday task force is being commended with high praise for its aggressive approach to road safety. Law enforcement will be conducting many traffic checkpoints and DUI patrols, starting Thanksgiving and continuing through New Year’s Eve, all throughout San Diego and San Diego County. Even other non-law enforcement agencies are making an effort to support the task force, including the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, Gaslamp Quarter Association, North Park Main Street, and Discover Pacific Beach. The SDMTS has added several new transportation options people can choose over driving, those being expanded taxicab service and extended trolley and bus service hours to accommodate late night partiers. As a criminal defense legal team, we have years of experience dealing with DUI violations. Our advice to everyone planning to celebrate the Holidays with alcoholic beverages this year is to take advantage of the preventative measures being offered, and make prior arrangements before heading out. However, if you or a loved one do in fact find yourselves facing DUI charges, hiring an experienced legal team to handle your case is absolutely essential to achieve favorable results and lessen the consequences DUI citations pose.

Wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday season!

The San Diego Police Department has scheduled a DUI checkpoint over the Thanksgiving holiday. San Diego Deputies will conduct the DUI and driver’s license check on November 23rd and 24th in Poway, which will be in effect from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Funded by a grant through the California Office of Traffic Safety, the checkpoint will be staffed with officers trained to identify possible signs of drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The CA Office of Traffic Safety has also made a point to encourage motorists to report drunk drivers by calling 911. In an official news release, the San Diego Sheriff’s Department released a statement regarding the checkpoint, stating, “The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is well aware of the community’s concern for persons Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and/or Drugs. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department is taking a major countermeasure by implementing a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint. The primary intent of this checkpoint is to educate the public of the dangers associated with drinking and driving. Additionally, this checkpoint will serve as a deterrent to potentially impaired drivers. Finally, this checkpoint provides an important governmental service by promoting public safety. The focus of the operation will be the apprehension of suspects who are determined to be operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and/or under the influence of drugs or driving while unlicensed/suspended.” It is important for all drivers to remember that driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs renders serious consequences and court penalties which will negatively affect all aspects, both personal and professional, of your life.. If you or a loved one are pressed with DUI charges, the Leslie Legal Group strongly encourages you to retain an experienced criminal defense attorney who will make a significant impact on the outcome of your case.

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“DUI Checkpoint Scheduled in Poway”– The Patch News, November 15, 2013

Be informed of DUI checkpoints in San Diego! Throughout the 3-day Labor Day weekend, law enforcement officers in San Diego will be in full force on the look out for intoxicated drivers and DUI violations. Sherriff Todd Murphy stated that the intent behind the checkpoint was to raise awareness of the dangers of drunken driving, to serve as a deterrent, and to promote public safety. Friday night starting at 7 p.m., the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department will put together a checkpoint within Poway city limits that will extend until 3 a.m. Murphy also stated that over the course of the patrol deputies will be on the lookout for drunken and drugged drivers as well as those without a valid driver’s license. The SDPD’s traffic unit has also planned to conduct checkpoints at several other undisclosed locations both Friday and Saturday night. The checkpoints will be in affect from 10 p.m. to around 4:30 a.m. San Diego Police Officer Mark McCullough stated that all checkpoints will be staffed by officers screening drivers for signs of drug or alcohol impairment because well publicized checkpoints have been proven effective in reducing the number of people killed or injured in drunken driving crashes.

In addition to Friday and Saturday night checkpoints, another checkpoint is said to go into action Sunday night beginning at 7 p.m. until 2:30 a.m. as part of the end-of-summer crackdown. The end-of-summer crackdown, put on by the National City Police Department, will inevitably continue over the holiday weekend with increased police presence on area roadways and several checkpoints throughout the county. National City Police Officer Manuel Rodriguez said, “The end of summer and Labor Day weekend is traditionally a time to have fun. Don’t let it turn into a time of tragedy or jail visit by driving impaired by alcohol or drugs. We will be out looking for those making that unwise and dangerous choice.”

Those who make that choice are not refined to any one group of people. According to the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, NBA player Lamar Odom was arrested at 3:45 a.m. Friday morning for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. CHP Officers pulled Odom over on the 101 Freeway for going too slow at 50 mph and showing obvious signs of intoxication. The cops believed that he was driving under the influence of both alcohol and drugs. After failing several field sobriety tests, Odom was booked in L.A. County Jail where he refused all chemical tests. According to other reports, Odom was possibly on a Crack binge over the course of the week prior to the arrest. Please keep in mind that DUI consequences can be severe and costly. If you or a loved one find yourself facing DUI charges, hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney is crucial for the betterment of your case and your life.

Local DUI checkpoints throughout San Diego resulted in sixteen arrests this past weekend. The checkpoints were achievable through a California Office of Traffic Safety “DUI Mini Grant”. Each sobriety checkpoint, in downtown San Diego, Santee, and Chula Vista, arrested the driver’s for driving while under the influence of alcohol. In all, San Diego police screened 885 of more than 2,000 cars that passed through the Saturday night checkpoints. Twelve people were arrested for drunken driving and three others for undisclosed reasons. All sixteen vehicles were taken by authorities and impounded and eleven other people were issued tickets for infractions. In addition, there was one arrest for a felony warrant and sixty other citations issued. All those convicted for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs can expect vehicle storage fees, license suspension, fines and fees, jail time, the requirement to attend DUI classes and the possibility of higher car insurance rates. When facing DUI charges, it is highly beneficial for an individual to retain an experienced criminal defense attorney to obtain a desirable outcome of their case.

One of the DUI checkpoints conducted by the San Diego Department was located in the 1400 block of G Street in downtown’s East Village. In the time of the operation from 11:00 pm until 3:00 am, 2,257 vehicles passed through the checkpoint. Thirty-six motorists were detained for further evaluation, however at the end of the night twelve of the sixteen total arrests in San Diego were produced from this particular checkpoint. Officer Mark McCullough expressed his opinion on the issue when he stated, “The message is simple, drive sober or get pulled over. Drinking alcohol and driving do not mix. If you plan to consume alcohol, you should also plan not to get behind the wheel of a vehicle or ride a motorcycle.” Officer McCullough spoke of the two campaigns currently aimed at cracking down on DUI drivers which include the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign led by the California Office of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Association and the California DUI Task Force campaign which is geared towards combining high-visibility enforcement and heightened public awareness through publicity. The schedules for the campaign enforcement, as well as daily DUI arrests for the region, can be found online.

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A sheriff’s deputy in the Bay Area is suing his former employer in Federal Court for retaliation after claiming he was fired once his involvement in a DUI sting was revealed. The former reserve deputy sheriff, William Howard, made statements against the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department stating the department ostracized, demoted, and fired him for informing superiors that Deputy Stephen Tanabe had coordinated a cover up with a private investigator. According to Howard, Tanabe wanted to frame a local winery owner, Mitchell Katz, for a DUI arrest and asked Howard to hide a package containing essential evidence of the case in his own home so that investigators would not be able to find it. In 2011, Katz filed a lawsuit claiming that the private investigator, Chris Butler, had tried to set him up. Katz stated that Butler’s employee invited him to a wine bar in Danville with the intent of persuading Katz to approve the production of a reality TV show of his winemaking business. Katz believes the real purpose behind the meeting was to lure Katz into getting drunk and driving under these conditions so that Tanabe could arrest him for a DUI. This charge against him would give his estranged wife leverage in ongoing custody proceedings the former couple where then dealing with. Katz also made clear in his lawsuit his belief that he was not the only individual who had been framed for DUI by Tanabe. With this information alone, the situation seems to reek of suspicion and alternative motives worth investigating.

In Howard’s recent lawsuit, he declares that Tanabe received multiple calls from his “Personal Investigator friend” during the evening disclosing information about a “suspect” under the influence of alcohol. The suspect being referred was indeed Katz. Later that evening, Tanabe stopped Katz and arrested him for driving under the influence of alcohol. About a month after the arrest, Howard claims that Tanabe showed up at his private home demanding that he hide a package that Tanabe did not want investigators to find. Tanabe didn’t want to hide the package in his own home for fear of the investigation leading authorities to searching his home as well. Howard claims in his lawsuit that Tanabe retrieved the item from his car, which was wrapped in a large black plastic garbage bag, and ordered Howard to put it in his attic. While the request made him feel “uncomfortable”, Howard took the item regardless in order to avoid confrontation or possible retaliation. After taking some time to process the information given to him by Deputy Tanabe and to determine the best course of action to take, Howard was named in a San Francisco Chronicle news article on March 9 of 2011 as the man responsible for reporting Tanabe’s corrupt actions to Contra Costa County. Upon filing, Howard received an immense amount of criticism and backlash from his peers for allegedly trying to ruin the career of a respected and congenial sheriff deputy. For the first time in 18 years, Howard was removed from work, subjected to hostile treatment, was not scheduled to work for an entire week, and was even dealt harshness by District Attorney Sean Fawell when, according to Howard, Fawell said to him, “If you were a regular, I would have fired your ass.” In the months following, the harassment ceased to end as Howard was slyly demoted, forced to work alone, had pay taken away from him, and when complaining of the treatment to District Attorney Livingston, was told “that he should consider himself ‘lucky’ that he hadn’t been dismissed.” On August 14, 2012, Howard was fired and, according to Howard, was told that “there would be no hearing regarding plaintiff’s termination, and that the decision to terminate came from the ‘highest level’ and was ‘not reversible’.”

Howard, with the help of his attorney, is pursuing damages for whistleblower retaliation, negligent hiring, negligent training, and supervision and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Deputy Tanabe was since charged with felony extortion, wire fraud, and other criminal charges. Private Investigator Chris Butler plead guilty in May of last year to seven federal felony charges, including drug offenses, conspiracy, extortion, and illegal wiretapping. With Butler’s personal ties to Tanabe with the arrest of Mitchell Katz aware to the public, the possibility of Tanabe’s guilt became more pressing than ever after Butler’s plead. Butler also admitted working with Tanabe to stage multiple drunken driving arrests on behalf of his clients, most of who were found to be involved in custody battles or other legal disputes at the time of their arrests.

The San Diego Sheriff’s Department has launched a special DUI enforcement effort to control DUI cases connected to the Del Mar Racetrack. On opening day of the iconic races, ten people were arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol out of a total of 25 who were evaluated. Out of these evaluations, three drivers were also cited for driving on a suspended license and one for driving without a license. Sheriff deputies and police officers from all over the county are in patrol of the area, covering 111 traffic stops in Del Mar and surrounding areas in Encinitas, Solana Beach, and Northern San Diego, from around 4 p.m. to midnight as a DUI saturation patrol. The effort includes officers from San Diego, Coronado, Chula Vista, National City, San Diego State University, and University of California San Diego departments, all in support of zero tolerance. The program is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A grand total of forty-five citations have been issued thus far and 10 vehicles have been impounded. Drivers found guilty of impaired driving can face jail time, insurance hikes, loss of their license, and fines up to 10,000, all of which are subordinate to the danger they are putting themselves and others on the road in when they get behind the wheel. Now facing DUI charges, these recent arrestees are highly recommended to consult an experienced criminal defense attorney to address the charges against them. Law enforcement officers will continue to be out in force and on the lookout for drunk drivers for the remainder of the horse-racing event. Sheriff’s Lt. Julius Faulkner stated in a press release, “If you’re over the limit, you will be arrested.” San Diego law enforcement is encouraging motorists who see drunk drivers to call 911 and report them right away.

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Many are of you are truly enjoying this merry season by celebrating with friends and family. This joyous time of year is filled with festivities, good food, holiday cocktails, and fun. Unfortunately, news reports indicate that some holiday celebrators had too much merriment, and then made the unwise decision to drink and drive. This last weekend 16 suspected drunken drivers were arrested by California Highway Patrol officers at just one checkpoint.

After being stopped near or at the checkpoint located in a downtown East Village neighborhood on G Street, sixteen individuals were arrested for DUI.{FOX5 News} The DUI checkpoint was in operation between the hours of 10:49 p.m. Saturday and 2:21 a.m. Sunday, San Diego Police Officer Mark McCullough stated.

Officials said some of the motorists were caught in areas surrounding the checkpoint, which had extra patrols due to the national “Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over” campaign. This campaign has been designed to create heightened public awareness and high-visibility enforcement.

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