DUI stop yields arrest record

GLENDALE — Police broke regional records Friday when they arrested 12 motorists on suspicion of driving under the influence during a sobriety checkpoint, officials said.

Most police checkpoints yield two to four intoxicated driving arrests, but Glendale police broke those averages for their region, said Community Service Officer Wendy Brewer, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County law enforcement anti-DUI campaign.

“That’s just unheard of for our area,” she said.

Glendale Police Sgt. Michael Glassick attributed the high number of arrests to the availability of more police resources, including access to a jailer van.

Direct access to the van allowed officers to remain at the checkpoint instead of having to drive arrestees to the jail to be booked and locked up, he said.

In the past, when officers had to transport multiple arrestees to the jail, the checkpoints were left minimally staffed.

More than 1,500 vehicles passed through the “Avoid the 100” campaign checkpoint from 7:30 to 2:30 a.m. at Brand Boulevard and Vassar Street, which borders Atwater Village, officials said.

Officers from Burbank, San Marino, San Fernando and Los Angeles police departments provided additional backup for Glendale police.

Police agencies arrested 663 motorists countywide from Friday to Sunday night as a part of the campaign aimed at reducing drunk driving during the summer and before the Sept. 5 Labor Day weekend, Brewer said.

Law enforcement officials are planning to conduct another 21 checkpoints and 106 saturation patrols countywide.

Of the 1,500 vehicles that passed through Glendale’s checkpoint, 565 were screened and 23 were impounded, Glassick said.

Police performed 36 field sobriety tests and used a breathalyzer, he said.

Another 18 motorists were arrested on suspicion of driving without a valid license, while five were taken into custody in connection with driving on a suspended or revoked license, he said.

Police also arrested four people on suspicion of possessing drugs and issued eight citations, Glassick said.

Glendale officers also hit the streets Saturday patrolling for intoxicated drivers.

The saturation patrols yielded five arrests, including a drunk motorist who struck a parked car on Jackson and Mountain streets and tried to flee the scene, Glassick said.

The countywide DUI campaign will continue until Sept. 5.