LANCASTER – The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting a DUI/driver’s license checkpoint at an undisclosed location in Lancaster this Friday, Sept. 8, between the hours of 6 p.m. and 2 a.m., according to a news release from the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station.
The checkpoint will be conducted at the site where a fatal two-vehicle collision occurred in Lancaster last September, sheriff’s officials said in the news release.
“One of the drivers was intoxicated on alcohol while driving his vehicle. Because of the collision, a passenger from the other vehicle lost her life,” the news release states.
“This checkpoint is a memorial for the person who lost their life during this collision. Our goal is to spread education about the dangers of drinking and driving,” the news release states.
Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and drug impairment. They also will check for proper licensing and will strive to delay motorists only momentarily. When possible, specially trained officers will be available to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving.
Drivers caught driving impaired can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to include jail time, fines, fees, DUI classes, and other expenses that can exceed $10,000.
Funding for this 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.
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every day people says
Isn’t that the second DUI for DUI Drew? I noticed he was working the VIP bar at the Fair this year. At least as a Fair Board Director they put him where he is most qualified. I have to wonder why the Republican party would put up with this kind of behavior? He works for George Runner so maybe that is a question for the Board of Equalization Member to explain whenever he shows up, which is not often. ” The cat is always away so the mice will play”
Top Gun says
Was Rex his lawyer? Rex has ways of getting people out of DUIs. Campaign contributions get you lots of favors. Not just with the DA but with judges too.
Shane Falco says
Out of curiosity, tell me who received a break on a DUI case because of Rex? It should be easy with the “lots of favors” doled out.
JPB says
Ask him. You are his pal. Next time you and Rex are shmoozing on his deck in Laguna ask him. Ask him about his escapades in Bakersfield while you are at it. It will make for an entertaining evening.
Tim Scott says
Rex is too rich for Foolco. Remember, people like them; who measure themselves by their wallets; they never change. To Rex Foolco is just a cockroach, and no amount of fawning by Foolco would change that.
JPB says
You would be surprised at who Rex will cozy up to. He looks at people as whether they are ‘useful’ to him or not. He has many useful people who have criminal records, filed multiple bankruptcies, are in and out of rehab, etc. They do not even have to live in Lancaster or the Antelope Valley for that matter. Some of his biggest tools are in other states.
Never underestimate what he will do to obtain power and control. Meglomaniacs stop at nothing.
Tim Scott says
Sure, but Foolco isn’t particularly useful.
Leona says
Do the right thing and you don’t have to worry about these checkpoints.
If these checkpoints save even one life . We live in a society where 5 minutes out of your life is an inconvenience. Lose someone to a drunk driver see if it bothers you then.. Ask the family that has to bury their loved one this week how they feel. Who cares about the money the city receives from this. This is your fault if you give it to them. If you don’t like the mayor vote him out. He keeps getting elected. Lots of complaints from people on this site. But no support for the family or the families that lost loved ones to this stupid selfish act of drunk driving..
It is easy to write something negative from the comfort of your home.
Get off your cell phone and do something to improve the community you live in..
Ruby says
Final analysis, Leona Helmsley was right. Wasn’t she? You never see them in Bel Aire or Beverly Hills, indeed these East German style 4th amendment shakedowns are only for the little people. Aren’t they?
Justin says
… once upon a time not too long ago, the Antelope Valley was a free society. Keeping tabs on our comings and goings, wringing out Antelope Valley residents for every red cent of traffic ticket revenue they can squeeze, it wasn’t until the advent of the Michael D Antonovich Superior court did the Antelope Valley becomes saddled, with these Soviet-style LASD 4th amendment checkpoints –
Scott says
In Lancaster, we get the $10 Million Dollar taxpayer boondoggle LEAPS violating our freedoms but doing nothing to lower crime. It does make a nice chunk of cash for Rex’s political contributor.
William says
It’s called “welfare for the rich”.
I wonder how much money trump will squeeze the federal government for if his mar a lago palace gets hurt by Irma or Jose.
William says
Of course you don’t drink and drive do ya, Justin?
Then, you have nothing to fear but fear itself and some minor inconvenience.
Ah, fear of inconvenience. That’s a new one.
Benjamin Franklin says
“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
Betty Snottmahname says
If I die in a car crash, I would like to ask that the police not try to say they are doing a sobriety checkpoint to honor me. Feel free to have a tasteful service at Dry Town Water Park and let my ashes get poured into the kiddie pool. (I figured that way they don’t have to shut it down, it’s already cloudy.
I know that the people of this town would be all outraged. (all except the seniors and myself). Maybe you might want to bring the SPEED LIMIT to a SLOWER limit. Is there real data that showing that if you run a sobriety checkpoint that traps every one leaving the fine classy ladies of Snookys? No seriously, the AV is not a town that is even thought of as part of LA county to most of LA, let alone as a PARTY TOWN. Although, there are HUGE sections of this area that the city thought “Streetlights?”
These basically appear, to most of the residents I have asked, as a way for the sherrif’s to “bring in the town money” (I am not in the boat with this idea that everything traffic and crime related in this area in simply because the town needs revenue. mainly because that’s not how it’s works for this area. If this were Nevada where the money from traffic violations desperately tries to make up it’s loss in state tax revenue, casinos creatively get out of paying completely , but the AV area is a handful of towns set in the unincorporated parts of LA County. Which means if you want to run your mouth about conspiracies in this town at least do some research on how LA county is set up. It’s about as exciting as Snooky’s on Tuesdays.
Alby says
They should run a dui checkpoint outside of the sheriff department, churches, and political assembly areas and find out who’s really on the booze and drugs(pills).
Boozer says
That’s how they nailed that Lancaster planning commissioner last year. What a collection of misfits that group is.
every day people says
Please do tell! Which Planning Commissioner Got a DUI from the checkpoint? Its good to know which community leaders are being held accountable.
Boozer says
You can read about it the same place I read about it. Right here on The Antelope Valley Times.
https://theavtimes.com/2013/09/19/lancaster-commissioner-pleads-to-dui/
They have quite an assortment of characters. A Republican DUI smear man, a climate change denier, Rex’s campaign manager, and a guy who sold land to a Walmart developer as residential property then turned around and voted for it to be zoned commercial. They even had a son of a Vice Mayor for a while.
As one Lancaster Council Woman used to say, “Only in Lancaster”.
Only in Lancaster indeed.
Boozer says
every day people, the commissioner who got the DUI was Republican hit man Drew Mercy. If you do a search on the AV Times, you can see the articles. The article doesn’t say if it was from a checkpoint or not. I wonder if Rex got him cleared of the charges and now Drew owes him his soul like so many in Lancaster.
There are other interesting characters on the Lancaster planning commission. Rex’s campaign manager is one. Then you have the climate denier who spends more time worrying about what’s going on in Palmdale than trying to improve Lancaster. Like the mayor and the rest of our useless council, he is doesn’t do a thing about the issues in East Lancaster. There is also the man who sold the Quartz Hill property to Walmart developers as residential land then voted to have it rezoned to commercial so they could build their monstronsity next to the high school.
At least they finally got rid of Marv’s kid. That was weird.
As one Lancaster council woman liked to say, “Only in Lancaster”.
Only in Lancaster indeed.
Question Lancaster Authority says
Lancaster commissioner pleads to DUI
by M. Dilworth • September 19, 2013
LANCASTER – A Lancaster Architectural and Design Commissioner was sentenced to probation last month for a drunken driving incident that occurred in April, according to court records.
Andrew “Drew” Mercy, 34, pleaded no contest to one misdemeanor count of driving while having a .08% or higher blood alcohol. A no-contest plea has the same immediate effect as a guilty plea.
In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dismissed a misdemeanor charge against Mercy for driving under the influence of alcohol, court records show.
Mercy was immediately sentenced to 36 months summary probation and fined $1,937.
According to the terms of his probation, Mercy must complete a nine-month first-offender alcohol counseling program and install an ignition interlock device on his vehicle, which tests a breath sample and prevents the car from starting if the driver has been drinking. Mercy was also sentenced to three days in county jail, but given two days credit for time served. He was given the option to complete a one-day Mothers Against Drunk Drivers program in lieu of the one day in jail, according to court records.
The conviction stems from an arrest, which occurred on April 12, when Mercy’s vehicle was stopped near Avenue I and Redwood Avenue in Lancaster. Mercy failed a sobriety test, and he was arrested on suspicion of DUI around 10:45 p.m. and booked at the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station.
Mercy’s blood-alcohol content tested at .19 percent, more than twice the legal limit, according to court records.
Mercy sits on the city of Lancaster’s Architectural and Design Commission, he is a past president of the Antelope Valley Board of Trade, and he is the Chairman of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County, 36th Assembly District Central Committee.
Mercy also serves as George Runner’s Senior Advisor for Taxpayer Advocacy at the California State Board of Equalization, District 2.
Mercy had been scheduled for a pretrial hearing on Aug. 14, but entered the plea instead.
Previous related story: Runner aide faces drunk driving charges
Editor’s Note: Mercy originally faced two misdemeanor charges – driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (23152a) and driving with BAC of .08% or higher (23152b). He pleaded no contest to 23152b, and in exchange, 23152a was dismissed.