Last of Valley Sobriety Checkpoints Nets 35
Thirty-five people were arrested at a sobriety checkpoint Friday night at Nordhoff Street and Sepulveda Boulevard in Sepulveda, Los Angeles police said.
The checkpoint was the last of a series on Friday nights designed to snare drunk drivers in the San Fernando Valley.
More than 2,350 motorists were stopped, then allowed to proceed, and 39 were given sobriety tests, Sgt. Jay Taylor said. Seven passed, and 32 were arrested on suspicion of drunk driving, he said.
Three other drivers were also arrested, he said. One man sped through the roadblock and led police on a three-mile chase at speeds up to 90 m.p.h. before being stopped near Chatsworth Street in Mission Hills, Taylor said.
Another man was arrested for interfering with a police officer when he tried to prevent police from arresting his girlfriend on suspicion of drunk driving; and a third man was arrested for possession of illegal pills, Taylor said.
Los Angeles police have been operating Friday-night roadblocks in the Valley since last New Year’s Eve. But police announced last week that the checkpoints put a severe drain on manpower and resources and were not yielding the results hoped for.
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