Roadblocks Await Hearty Partiers : Law Officers Plan Countywide Drunk Driving Crackdown

Party animals, take heed: There’s an army of sworn peace officers out there just waiting for you to blow it.

From Chula Vista to Oceanside and inland to Santee, police, deputy sheriffs and California Highway Patrol officers will be staked out at strategically placed roadside sobriety checkpoints tonight, forming a Maginot Line you may well have to cross at some point in your celebratory travels.

Remember, this is New Year’s Eve--the night of all party nights that law enforcement agencies love to gear up for. And, if you should overindulge at some bar or soiree and attempt to motor home, you’re not likely to find mercy in a badge and uniform.

“Let ‘em try it,” said Carlsbad Police Sgt. Matt Matney, issuing a challenge to drunken would-be drivers that was echoed by his colleagues in blue elsewhere in the county. “We don’t appreciate drunk drivers here in Carlsbad and if they should breach our city limits, they’ll find that out.”

Heavier Emphasis in 1987

Although the December holidays traditionally have been a time for stepped-up vigilance by those who patrol the roadways, the 1987 season has seen an even heavier emphasis. Ten days ago, law enforcement officials from throughout San Diego County displayed their commitment to tackling the problem when they unveiled an orchestrated strategy to ensnare motorists who have imbibed even a wee bit too much.

The plan involves a one-two punch combining the roadside checkpoints and the jailing of suspected drunk drivers, who typically are released to a sober party after undergoing alcohol tests. The idea is to deter motorists from drinking in the first place and keep them off the road for a spell if they are caught.

On Thursday, officials said early statistics indicate the new approach may already have done some good. So far, arrests for drunk driving are fewer this year, suggesting that drivers may be observing the widely publicized warnings of checkpoints. Over the four-day period ending Monday, 172 people had been booked into county jails on suspicion of drunk driving, compared to 229 during the same period last year.

“Arrests are down, and I would venture to say that the deterrent effect of this program has had an effect,” said Lt. Alan Fulmer of the Sheriff’s Department.

1,280 Stops, 5 Arrests

Fulmer said that so far, a total of 1,280 stops and five arrests have been made by sheriff’s deputies at checkpoints in Vista, Encinitas, Del Mar and Santee since the program was launched Dec. 24. San Diego police checked 549 vehicles and made eight arrests at a checkpoint on El Cajon Boulevard Dec. 19.

In North County, CHP officials had some good news of their own to report after last weekend: there were no fatalities between Christmas Eve and Monday morning and injury accidents were down as well.

“We only had 11 accidents and no one was killed, which is very unusual,” said CHP spokesman Len Schroeder, who works out of the Oceanside office. “That’s down from last year. And on an average weekend, we’d have at least one fatality and twice or three times that number of accidents.”

Still, law enforcement officials concede the true barometer of the crackdown’s effectiveness will be what unfolds tonight.

‘It’s the Biggie’

“It’s the biggie, no doubt about it,” said Oceanside Police Sgt. Bill Krunglevich. “We’ll be running the sobriety checkpoint with the CHP and we’ll shift some of our patrol officers over to traffic duty.”

Other departments are beefing up their traffic details as well, and the CHP will have nearly every available body out on the beat tonight, Schroeder said.

For tipsy revelers who don’t want to risk a drive home, several organizations are offering rides throughout the night. Safe-Rides is designed for student-aged party goers, who can get a lift between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. by calling 477-SADD, while CareUnit of San Diego, a chemical dependency treatment center, is providing free taxi rides for county residents of any age. Call 1-800-422-4143 to request that service between 7 p.m. and 2 a.m. through Saturday.