The Region - News from Sept. 28, 1986

A court decision declaring sobriety checkpoints to be illegal did not keep the California Highway Patrol from stopping nearly 1,100 drivers and arresting eight suspected drunk drivers in East Los Angeles. The appellate court ruling, which does not take effect for 30 days, is being appealed, and while it is, the previously planned checkpoint did business for about six hours along busy Whittier Boulevard at Hoefner Avenue, officers said. “We get more than an average number of accidents at that intersection,” said Sgt. John Williams, “and a good number of the people are driving under the influence of alcohol.” Officers gave field sobriety tests to 28 drivers, arresting eight for suspected drunk driving and citing nine more for having open alcohol containers, Sgt. Michael Flambures said. The American Civil Liberties Union plans to challenge the checkpoints and any arrests resulting from them, attorney Joan Howarth said.