LANCASTER – The Sheriff Department’s Lancaster Station will be conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint at an undisclosed location in Lancaster on Friday, Aug. 29, from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Deputies will be contacting drivers passing through the checkpoint for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment. Deputies will also check drivers for proper licensing and will strive to delay motorists only momentarily. Drivers caught driving impaired can expect jail, license suspension, and insurance increases, as well as fines, fees, DUI classes, and other expenses that can exceed $10,000.
Funding for the operation is provided to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
CHP sobriety and license checkpoint Saturday
On Saturday, Aug. 30, the California Highway Patrol will be conducting a Sobriety/Driver’s License Checkpoint. The exact location will be announced at a later date and time.
Captain Gretchen Jacobs stated, “The primary objective of any Sobriety/Driver’s License Checkpoint is to ensure the safe passage of each and every motorist on our highways, by targeting roads where there is a high frequency of driving under the influence (DUI) related accidents and/or prior arrests. Every year residents and visitors to our local communities are needlessly injured or killed as a result of DUI related collisions. Additionally, statistics show unlicensed drivers are much more likely to become involved in a fatal traffic collision than licensed drivers. A Sobriety/Driver’s License Checkpoint is an effective and proven tool to deter driving under the influence and remove unlicensed drivers from local highways. They also help raise public awareness of these most important driver safety issues while augmenting regular patrol operations.”
The checkpoint will be staffed by uniformed officers from the CHP who are trained in detecting alcohol and drug impaired drivers and members of the Antelope Valley CHP senior volunteer program. Officers will also be equipped with hand held, blood alcohol testing devices, which provide an accurate indication of alcoholic beverage consumption.
Traffic permitting, all drivers will be screened as they pass through the checkpoint. Drivers who have been drinking, or who exhibit signs of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs will be detained for further evaluation and field testing. Drivers who are determined to be under the influence will be physically arrested and their vehicles towed away. Any suspended or unlicensed driver passing through the checkpoint will be cited and their vehicles may be impounded.
Thomas says
The Sheriffs nabbed One, that’s right 1 DUI driver Friday. That’s out of 960 cars stopped. They stopped every car that went threw the checkpoint. They suspected thirteen drivers of drinking and gave them field sobriety tests but only arrested one. The Sheriffs also arrested twelve unlicensed drivers. Arrested eight people for driving on a suspended license. The Sheriffs arrested three vehicle owners for allowing unlicensed drivers drive vehicles. That’s twenty three people arrested for something other than drinking and driving. Two vehicles were impounded for 24 hours and 8 for 30 days. The Sheriffs nabbed a bunch of DUI’$ on friday.
Mark says
Can someone tell me the difference between a DUI Checkpoint and a sobriety and license checkpoint ?
Ray says
You are aware that check points such as these are illegal and unconstitutional. Law enforcement have to have probable cause to pull you over. They can not do this randomly as in these check points. I encourage your readers as all law abiding citizens not to conform to this stand up for rights. Do not agree to anything at a check point it is illegal. .
Uncle Tom says
I encourage you to do more (or at least some) research. Every time there is a checkpoint one of you come spout out this ‘unconstitutional’ or ‘illegal’ BS.
DUI/Sobriety checkpoints have been ruled constitutional. Don’t like it, get the law changed. Until then, you get to deal with the small inconvenience of the checkpoints ,that happen SO OFTEN, RANDOMLY APPEARING, WITHOUT ANY WARNING.
I’ve had to go through a couple. Have a quick chat with a deputy, show my licence, a little small talk, and I’m on my way. MAYBE 5 mins of my time. I wish they had more of them! Point is, they do catch those that break the law. Maybe its DUI, maybe its suspended or unlicensed drivers, maybe its unregistered vehicles. Those of us who pay our dues and are smart enough to follow the rules are likely to enjoy having these idiots off the road.
Don’t blame law enforcement for the checkpoints, for if everybody followed the rules we would not have them. Blame the A-holes who keep breaking the law.
AV DUI Gulag says
The AV DUI gulag marches on. 2 tall beers at the fairgrounds and your life, career, family, finances, and future are destroyed even though it’s not even remotely intoxicated. Nothing but a scam.
Uncle Tom says
Sorry for forcing someone to have a couple brewskies. Sorry for also forcing them to drive with alcohol on their breath/in their system. Sorry for ruining their life.
Oh wait, nope, not sorry. Their choices, their fault.
Let me take this firearm and shoot it up into the air for the next 5 or 10 minutes. What, I can’t? I won’t hit anybody! So what if the bullets come down, not my fault, blame gravity! Blame the cops for taking my fun away! Blame the gun or cartridge manufacturers for not preventing me from shooting in the air! Blame everybody else, just don’t blame me.
Mike says
I love your reply. Implying that every time someone has a drink it is someone else that made them do it. As if to imply that the persons comment some how implied that he Uncle Tom encourages or promotes drunk driving. Are you capable of making a educated response, or is it just sarcasm you got your degree in.
Different people have different tolerances to alcohol, I for one do not drink. I got all that out of my system before I could drive. However who are we to say that having a beer or two at a Fair or bar with friends is against the law. Well it’s not. We do however expect those who do to do so in a responsible manner. That’s why we have a legal limit and test to determine what limit a person is at when suspected of D.U.I.
I’d just like to clarify, I do not condone drunk driving or driving under the influence of any illegal substance. I think those that do need to pay the piper.
Uncle Tom says
Not quite sure what to make of your response. But if there was a degree for sarcasm, I’m a likely candidate to have one.
We all know drinking and driving don’t mix well. That’s pretty basic. And yes we have ‘limits’. But were you aware that you can still be charged with impaired driving even under the limit? That limit (what is it .08 BAC here in Cali?) is a number that is used to basically say “Hey, you pass this limit, and I don’t need any more proof that you are impaired”. And yes, everybody’s metabolism is different, so they process, and can handle various amounts compared to others, but that’s the number in the law, so that’s whats used.
The last time I was with anybody who had to admit they had been drinking ‘that day’, they LEO asked how much, how long ago, lets do some tests, go ahead and blow here, walk the line, touch the nose, etc. And then they make the call based on everything that is presented. He passed it all with flying colors, had a friendly chat with the LEO, and we went on our way. It’s a process. Is it foolproof? Probably not, but its what we have right now. Don’t like it, get the the law changed!
Now maybe that person in the post only had 2 drinks, and maybe they were not impaired. I don’t know for sure. That’s the LEO’s call based on whats presented. They make the call. But I know that most of the people I have seen impaired AND still thought they were good to go, were not And sometimes that made it difficult to take their keys and keep them from driving.
Basically if you never had anything to drink, or presented as impaired in some way, then you won’t need to deal with all those repercussions. But if you put yourself into a situation in which an LEO has to make the call, then suck it up and deal with it. Stop blaming others. Stop making excuses.
If you have a couple beers and then take a drive shortly after, then don’t be surprised if your breath stinks and you blow a high number! If you wait a while, you might just be fine. Does it apply in this case? I don’t know. But if you don’t drink and drive, whatever your justification is, then you won’t have to deal with all the problems that it can entail if your are stopped and charged.
AV DUI Gulag says
Get the people in the system, get them on probation, get them paying fines and fees for years afterward. AV is where the police state begins. People are being arrested for DUI without proof they were ever behind the wheel; arrested for sleeping in the car, arrested for being the passenger, arrested standing outside the vehicle. I heard of a DUI on a skateboard. Nobody is defending driving while completely wasted, but it’s obvious that this has become just another scam to generate revenue. And, don’t forget the all the drunk driving cops chilling at the bars around town that get the wink ‘n nod treatment.