The Antelope Valley Times

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Four DUI arrests at Palmdale, Lancaster checkpoints

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LANCASTER – A sobriety and driver’s license checkpoint in Lancaster Friday night (March 28) netted two DUI arrests and 23 other arrests for various violations; while a checkpoint that same time in Palmdale netted two DUI arrests and 17 other arrests, authorities announced Saturday.

In Lancaster, the checkpoint was conducted between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. on eastbound Avenue J at Hanstead Avenue. The results of the checkpoint are as follows:

* 997 vehicles drove through the checkpoint.

* 997 drivers were screened at the checkpoint.

* One DUI – drug (marijuana) suspect arrested.

* One DUI – alcohol suspect arrested.

* Two suspects arrested for “knowingly allowing an unlicensed driver to drive”. [14604(a) CVC]

* One suspect arrested for “willfully disobeying a road closure.”

* Nine suspended / revoked drivers arrested and sent to court.

* 11 unlicensed drivers arrested and sent to court.

* Two vehicles were stored for one day.

* 13 vehicles were impounded for 30 days.

* Five vehicles were released per checkpoint release procedures.

Palmdale checkpoint results

The Palmdale DUI checkpoint was conducted between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. on 47th Street East at Avenue R-8. The results of that checkpoint are as follows:

1086 vehicles drove through the checkpoint.

1086 drivers were screened at the checkpoint.

Two DUI – alcohol suspects arrested.

Three suspects arrested for illegal possession of narcotics.

One suspect arrested for a $15,000 traffic warrant and sent to court.

Four suspects arrested for suspended, revoked, or no driver’s license and sent to court.

10 unlicensed drivers arrested and sent to court.

Two vehicles were stored for one day.

Two vehicles were impounded for 30 days.

10 vehicles were released per checkpoint release procedures.

Funding for both operations was 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

25 comments for "Four DUI arrests at Palmdale, Lancaster checkpoints"

  1. Sometimes I can’t believe the ignorance of people. If you don’t know what you’re talking about, stop making comments. 1) Police have to register at Police auctions and a background check has to be done to ensure your not connected to the car ur bidding on. 2) If you weren’t breaking the law, a checkpoint shouldn’t bother you, a minor time inconvenience at best. 3) Aside from CHP, most officers hate DUI’s bcuz the courts don’t take it serious until you kill someone. U can have 3 and still just pay fines. On the fourth, it turns to a felony but you still won’t get any serious time. No officer want to waste 4 hours of time arresting a drunk only to have them get a ticket to court in 12 hrs. What a waste of our time. The checkpoints are only done bcuz Federal money pays them to do it. Do you ever hear of a checkpoint paid for by the department? No way.

    • Thank you Sargent Schultz, I will remember all your advice, they should get those officers some cool uniforms with like sculls the cap. Interesting that
      Federal Money pays for them. Kind of like they used to do in your country.

      • Joe—you have some major anger issues. Find a way to contribute in your community instead of throwing out hate.

  2. Papers Please! SS Nazis at their best. Disobeying a road closure? What is what? Some stupid trumped up charge. yet LASD is allowed to rape women and more? How many stole something from the cars they confiscated?

    • Calm down! Instead of looking for reasons to be angry and just throwing out angry words, get out and do something to make things better. Tearing down with hateful words only instills more hatred, and then we end up with anarchy. Hopelessness will get us nowhere.

  3. I bet the sheriffs that impound these peoples cars for thirty days are the first ones in line at the impound auctions to buy them for themselves. Not many people can afford to get their car out of impound after it’s been stored there for thirty days.

    • Yes because those cars are so desirable and the officers have nothing better to do then to sit around and collect cars.

      Instead of blaming the police for doing their job, why not get angry at the people who drive drunk or without a license or insurance? Being hit one of those people can really cause a fair amount of trouble. I am pretty much forced to carry uninsured motorist coverage because there are so many irresponsible people out there who choose to drive without a license and/or insurance. Sure I could do with out it, but having been hit by someone without insurance, it is not worth the risk.

  4. Seems like they’d get more DUI arrests if they just parked near bars and waited for closing time. There seems to be more than enough sheriffs at these check points to handle that, or is that illegal?

    • Waiting at a bar in and of itself is not illegal but a person must exhibit signs of intoxication while driving to be pulled over. So they would have to be followed for some time, which of course defeats the idea of catching a bunch at one times.

    • I’m sure they do that too. My dad was a cop decades ago and he said they’d stop the person before getting in the vehicle and tell’em to get a cab. Now I think they just wait and write out the ticket for DUI. Maybe it’s better now though. It seems the public, and by extension the police, are very serious about DUI.

  5. To me it’s about cost vs benefit and I hope that some drunk drivers decide to call a cab.

  6. Its illegal to have a checkpoint to see if the persons driving are driving illegally. .. wait till one of those people that dont have a license or insurance hits you on the road runs away or kills someone you love .. then we will see if you worry about your constitutional rights. .. All illegal drivers or driving smoking HIGH should be thrown in Jail

  7. It is amazing to me that the very people who have sworn an oath to uphold and defend the constitution of the United States are so blatantly violate the fourth amendment rights of the people who they have sworn to protect in the name of safety. It has been said that people who trade safety and security for their rights end up with neither.

    • Again, with the 4th amendment conspiracy? How is it a violation when you voluntarily enter a checkpoint?

      • Did you not see that one person was arrested for “willfully disobeying a road closure”? It is not “voluntary” if you get arrested when you try to avoid it.

      • Its not voluntary BTW. You are forced to drive into when your on that street or they go after you for evading it.

      • Again with the “checkpoints are voluntary” argument? They are NOT voluntary. Do you think drunks would voluntarily enter them? Lame justification for a violation of rights.

      • Baloney! There is signage alerting you to the checkpoint, before the cones… normally signs are at an intersection, giving you a legal way to avoid the checkpoint. Once you enter the cones, or if you decide to do a u-turn on a solid yellow, then yes, its illegal and you will get stopped.

    • It has been upheld time after time that checkpoints such as these are allowable under the constitution.

    • For the 47th time… a license to drive is a privilege, NOT a right! Driving without a license or while under the influence is ILLEGAL. There are many, many other valid, constitutional concerns today – pick a legit one.

      • Yup, driving on a suspended license is illegal. But when a dumba$$ officer pulls you over because you have a freaking cross hanging on your mirror and It’s a “hazard”…then when he realizes that he has NOTHING worth arresting you for, decides to ticket you on some B.S. infraction…Now let’s say you missed that court date because of whatever is going on…that $300 ticket just tripled. ..realistically most people can’t pay $1000.00…their license is suspended. ..and now they’re in even more financial stress because they were arrested or car was impounded! Does this mean that they can’t drive? Are they a hazard to the people on the streets or other drivers? Are they more susceptible to injuring or killing anyone? If you answered yes, you’re an idiot. D.U.I obviously pretty dumb choice to make so, let’s keep arresting them.

        • So why not just go to court when your supposed to? You have between 30 and 60 days from the date your cited, to go to court and enter a plea. If your in the hospital or incarcerated your exempt from that time frame. Otherwise, accept your responsibilty and go. This is a requirement due to YOUR right to a speedy trial. Oh, and if you don’t have a license, do you really think your insurance is going to cover the damage you cause in the event of an accident? You may be capable of driving, but again its not a right to drive, IT IS A PRIVILEGE.

        • Hanging anything from the mirror can be a violation, so the officers have every right to write a citation.

          All the rest of your comment is a pure lack of personal responsibility. Blame everyone, the system etc. but not the driver who caused the problem in the first place.

          Keep in mind if they do not have a valid license, they are unable to have valid insurance. If they cause an accident, and if the other driver doesn’t have uninsured motorist coverage, this will end up in a big mess.

          What if the person caused injury to someone else? health insurance will not cover this type of injury in many cases, so the person injured is left to pick up the pieces. All because some person decided they knew better and felt their were above the law.