The Antelope Valley Times

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25 arrested, 1 for DUI at Lancaster sobriety checkpoint

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LANCASTER – One person was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs and two dozen people were arrested for various other violations at a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint conducted in Lancaster Friday night and early Saturday morning, authorities said.

The checkpoint was conducted from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Avenue K at Elm Avenue as part of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s commitment to public safety.

The results from the checkpoint are as follows:

  • 1,099 vehicles traveled through the checkpoint.
  • 962 drivers were checked at the checkpoint.
  • 1 DUI – drug suspect was arrested.
  • 17 unlicensed drivers were arrested and sent to court.
  • 7 suspended/revoked drivers were arrested and sent to court.
  • 2 vehicles were stored for one day.
  • 7 vehicles were impounded for 30 days.
  • 15 vehicles were released per checkpoint release procedures.

This checkpoint was one of many that have been or will be conducted throughout the year in city of Lancaster. Checkpoints are placed in locations that have the greatest opportunity for achieving drunk and drugged driving deterrence and provide the greatest safety for officers and the public. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), checkpoints have provided the most effective documented results of any of the DUI enforcement strategies, while also yielding considerable cost savings of $6 for every $1 spent.

Filed Under: Crime/ Safety

25 comments for "25 arrested, 1 for DUI at Lancaster sobriety checkpoint"

  1. Checkpoints are for the safety of the public and has nothing to do with racial profiling. I live in a small community if largely white country folks and there just so happens to be a checkpoint tonight. Bet they are gonna find alot of good ole country boys driving drunk or drugging, neither of which I want on the road with my family. Wait until someone you know, a relative or long time friend, gets killed by a drunk or drugged driver and I bet the tune about checkpoints will change. Oh and by the way, to the writer regarding the water quality, you moron, the police do not take water samples. Contact the right agency and let the police do their job as peace keepers.

  2. Might as well just give in to the police state and not drive at all friday nights. Thats what I do. Don’t even want to bother with them. There is nothing that can be done, unless people start voting, and for gods sake, make an informed vote. Realize you dont want people taking away your rights because they *know whats better for you*

  3. Oh, where to start? First, these checkpoints don’t cost us one penny. LASD doesn’t want to do them but they are funded through the federal government, MADD grants, and state grants for highway safety. Second, revenue generation! BS! Lets start with Impounds. The city gets a one time fee on EVERY impound regardless of the reason, usually about $40. How many cars did they let go? Moving citations! The California Vehicle Code says no infraction can be more than $100 dollars. However, over 50 years of increasing court costs in those ballot initiatives, have made court costs on an infraction, 396%… Thats why a Red Light ticket is $496 dollars. But again, the city, county, or state who writes the cite gets about 2.5% from the initial fine to pay for ticket books, bicycle safety classes and things like that. It is a conflict of interest for the Law to make money on violations. Lastly, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but the Police do PROFILE. Its called CRIMINAL PROFILING! Take a black neighborhood, a Hispanic neighborhood, and a White neighborhood and see where crime is. The police don’t create that, they just deploy their resources to combat that. Now you can scream racist all day long at the top of your lungs but the facts won’t change one little bit! Just remember this, everytime someone falsely cries RACISM, thats more resources directed away from a possible true case of racial profiling.

  4. When I was growing up in Burbank, Ca. in the 50’s & 60’s, the police were respected and didn’t have to railroad innocent people to get their job done. They did not lay in wait for people either. This city should be fixing all the issues with the polluted ground and bad water before they get sued to the point they will not have police that have to make revenue from everyday hardworking, trying to get by people.

    • Right on lady! I lived there too. This place is so bad now. It seems the whiners want it like it is. Too bad!

  5. Driving is a privilege NOT a right. The unlicensed driver has not taken the time to learn the rules of the road. These rules are the education to operate a 2 ton car/truck on the roads used by many people. These rules keep order “if” we obey them. When people do not obey the rules people get hurt or killed. If you are involved in traffic collision & sustain injuries or loss someone is because someone did NOT obey the SAFETY rules. These road safety rules are NOT for revenue collection but to break bad habits.

  6. All I can say is racist. I live right across the street , and told myself I bet u there gonna be on some racial profiling and I was right. Why do they not check everyone and only black and Hispanics . I watched them let almost every single car with a middle aged or older Caucasian go without even asking for a license let alone seeing if they were drunk. Every single black person was being stopped . So middle aged and older whites don’t drink, (since when) and they all have licenses, don’t think so.
    We really need to stop thus racist stuff, why no checkpoints in quartz hills.

    • You are half correct, I’m sure they profile, but it’s partly the driver and partly the car. I’m white, retired, have a license, drink very little and a clean nondescript car. Same thing for most of my friends. The friends of mine that are more inclined to drink have older cars, or minor damage, and sometimes license or insurance trouble. It catches up with them as well, sooner or later. Also, a check point was in Quartz Hill about 2 months ago.

      • Seriously? They stopped over 90% of the cars that drove through, according to the article…so 90 % on the people on the road that day were of color? I would say your vision is colored.

  7. You cry babies make me sick. If you’re not guilty, then why are you upset? Half the A.V. wants the valley cleaned up of crime and the other half complains if they do. What is wrong with you people? If you don’t want a clean, safe city, then go down and live in LA.

  8. These check points are just a way for the cities to get more revenue , revenue that the residents will never see such as in new roads and much needed improvements to these dilapidated conditions through out our cities.

    After 30 days in impound some of those vehicle owners are going to owe more then a third of what their vehicles are worth. It all goes to the crooks at those towing yards, you’ll be lucky if they don’t steal anything out of your car while they are at it.

    • Oh stop your belly aching, it’s not your money!! They catch criminals this way and as far as I’m concerned, if you’re driving without a license and no insurance then you’re a criminal.

      Think about this….if one of your family was hit by these people, would you be paying the bills?

    • My sister was hit by an unlicensed driver at the beginning of this year. This occurred in Lancaster near the Walmart on the East. The driver stopped and the cops came but, there was no restitution. Fortunately my sister was fine as it was a hit at a very low speed but, no license, no insurance and probably not legal. Too bad a checkpoint didn’t get him first.

      • I’m so glad she’s fine. I can’t believe they want to let illegals get drivers licenses. Most of them can’t read English and we want them on our roads? More cops are needed, period!

        • Once they are licensed then they can be tracked for insurance compliance.
          It is ok about them speaking no english. Most signs are designed for lack of language, many California roads and towns are in Spanglish, and of course everything at DMV is in several languages.

  9. The word illegal does not mean anything anymore so why arrest people that are driving illegal. The is no such word anymore ask our government. How can you pick and choose when you are going to use that word.

  10. Don’t allow these armed revenue collecting leeches with their fabricated and exaggerated crime stats to get their hooks into your wallet. Yeah, the one drugged DUI was probably some dude who smoked pot 3 days ago and the pigs swabbed his cheek.

  11. This is a bunch of BS. These checkpoints are a sham, the majority of the time there are no DUIs. Mostly people driving unlicensed, which is illegal but stop doing this under the guise of DUI.

    • Did you notice this in the first sentence of the story:
      “DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint”
      It’s also on the portable changeable message sign at the entrance.