For further information, contact:
Sergeant Ken Savano
Petaluma PD
707.481.3567

‘AVOID the 13’ Sonoma County DUI Campaign Update 17 of 17 Sobriety and Driver’s License Checkpoint Results Sonoma Highway (State Route 12) Drivers Checked DUI Patrols in Downtown Santa Rosa

 DUI Arrests = 191, Injury Collisions=8, Injured=10 Fatal Colllisions=0, DUI Arrest Warrants=28

 (Santa Rosa, CA) – The AVOID the 13 DUI Task Force conducted two checkpoints in the City of Santa Rosa on Saturday night, January 2, 2010, between the hours of 5pm and 2am. The two checkpoints screened eastbound and westbound drivers on State Route 12, also known as Sonoma Highway, between Mission Blvd and Brush Creek Drive.

At about 11pm, as traffic volumes decreased on Sonoma Highway, a team of officers were sent into downtown Santa Rosa to conduct roving DUI patrols. Officers conducted numerous traffic stops around the downtown area. Those stops resulted in 1 driver being arrested for DUI.

Despite the efforts of a group of citizens holding signs in Spanish warning drivers about the checkpoint ahead, a total of 3,144 vehicles passed through the checkpoints. Officers from the 13 law enforcement agencies in Sonoma County screened 3,106 drivers. Of those screened, 100 drivers were directed into a secondary evaluation area for further investigation. Of those directed to the secondary area, 38 were checked for driving under the influence of alcohol, and 62 were checked for driver’s license violations. During the operation, officers arrested 31 drivers. Of those arrested, 1 driver was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol on DUI probation, 9 were arrested for driving on a suspended license, 19 were arrested for driving without a license, 1 was arrested for a an outstanding warrant, and 1 was arrested for possession of illegal drugs. A total of 17 vehicles were towed, all of which were impounded for 30 days. All of the drivers arrested at the checkpoint were issued citations to appear in court.

The driver arrested for DUI probation, Trevor Chlamba, age 28, from Healdsburg, was driving with a blood alcohol level well below the legal limit of .08%. However, his DUI probation terms include not to drive with any alcohol in his system. His license was also suspended for DUI. He came to the officer’s attention when he suddenly turned into an apartment complex after seeing the sobriety checkpoint signs. Officers checked the area but were not able to locate him. Officers then spotted a taxi pulling into the complex. The driver was located as he walked toward the taxi. Officers also located his vehicle that had what appeared to be fresh damage from a recent collision. Officers could not locate a collision scene. The driver was issued a citation for violating his DUI probation terms and for driving on a suspended license. His vehicle was impounded for 30 days.

Another female driver failed to stop for officers in the westbound checkpoint, passing numerous officers with flashlights all telling her to stop. She also failed to stop for two large stop signs posted at the front of the checkpoint. Officers noted that she never even touched her brakes. Officers from the checkpoint gave chase and were able to stop her near Farmers Lane at Sonoma Highway. Although they found she had been drinking, she was well below the legal limit. She was given a verbal warning after she told officers she did not realize it was a checkpoint.

Although numerous drivers were evaluated for alcohol, none of them were over the legal limit. Officers were pleased to find people had designated drivers or simply chose not to drink to much knowing they had to drive. Of course, officers have no way of knowing how many dangerous drivers may have seen the warning signs being held up and turned away from the checkpoint.

Today (Sunday) is the last day of the annual 17 day Winter Holiday DUI Mobilization Period. AVOID the 13 DUI Task Force has now arrested 219 DUI offenders since the campaign began on Friday December 18, 2009. Of those arrested, 191 drivers have been arrested for DUI and 29 people have been arrested for outstanding DUI warrants. The task force surpassed last year’s number of DUI arrests on New Years Day. Sonoma County is still reporting NO alcohol related FATAL collisions since the campaign began on Friday, December 18th. Since the campaign began, there have been 8 DUI injury collisions that have injured 10 people.

During the 2008 winter holiday DUI campaign, 176 individuals were arrested for DUI in Sonoma County, and there were 4 DUI fatal collisions that killed 4 people and 21 DUI injury collisions that injured 24 people.

Sonoma County law enforcement officers will be out on the roads again tonight looking for impaired drivers so remember "Drunk Driving. Over The Limit, Under Arrest!"

Roving DUI Patrols County-wide Tonight and Through the New Years Weekend
Sonoma County law enforcement agencies continue to deploy additional officers on local DUI roving patrols in every community in Sonoma County during the 17-day campaign. CHP will be staffing 80% of all available officers during the 4 Day Christmas and New Year’s holiday weekends. This DUI Enforcement and Education Campaign has been funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For more information visit the following websites:

www.californiaavoid.org
www.Stopimpaireddriving.org




Media Notes: To schedule an interview regarding Anti Drunk-Driving efforts, or request a ride-along with law enforcement during the campaign period, please contact Sergeant Ken Savano at 707.481.3567 or via email at ksavano@ci.petaluma.ca.us.

What is AVOID the 13 – Sonoma County: AVOID the 13 is a collaborative enforcement and education effort between the 13 law enforcement agencies in Sonoma County. The Petaluma Police Department serves as the lead agency for the regional DUI enforcement efforts in Sonoma County to reduce alcohol-involved fatalities and injuries and raise general public awareness regarding the problems associated with drinking and driving. Participating agencies include Police Departments from the cities of Cloverdale, Cotati, Healdsburg, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Sonoma, Windsor, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department, Sonoma County Probation Department, Sonoma State University Police Department, Santa Rosa Junior College Police Department, ABC, MADD, and the California Highway Patrol. Grant funded activities include DUI checkpoints, DUI saturation patrols, DUI Task Force Operations and Warrant/Court Sting operations for repeat DUI offenders during the Memorial Day, Fourth of July, August-Labor Day Mobilization, Winter Holiday Mobilization, and other designated Special Events and holidays with identified DUI problems. For further information go to www.californiaavoid.org.

OTS Projects AL0982/SC09313/PT1047

News Release 17 of 17
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