Valley Holiday Death Toll on Roads Hits 3

The number of people who died in Memorial Day traffic accidents in the San Fernando Valley rose to at least three, and possibly four, with the release Friday of Los Angeles Police Department statistics.

The Times reported Thursday that the California Highway Patrol knew of two traffic fatalities during the holiday weekend, one in Verdugo Hills and one in North Hollywood. On Friday, the LAPD said it also had reports of two fatalities, one in Pacoima and one in North Hollywood. It could not be ascertained whether the North Hollywood deaths reported by the two agencies were the same incident.

There were 83 alcohol-related traffic accidents in the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys during the Memorial Day weekend, according to the Peace Officers Assn. of Los Angeles County. This number does not include collisions handled by the California Highway Patrol.

Of the 83 collisions reported by the association, 23 occurred in the LAPD’s Foothill Division, 19 in the Van Nuys Division, 13 in North Hollywood, 11 in West Valley and eight in Devonshire.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies responded to four alcohol-related accidents in the Antelope Valley, two in the Santa Clarita Valley and one in the southwestern Valley (an area that includes the communities of Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, Calabasas and Hidden Hills). Glendale and Burbank had one collision each.

The number of drunk-driving arrests in the three valleys rose to 128 with the addition of information from the Sheriff’s Department and the Burbank and Glendale police departments. This figure does not include drunk-driving arrests made by the LAPD, which were not available.

Sheriff’s deputies reported making 10 drunk-driving arrests in the Santa Clarita Valley, nine in the southwestern Valley and four in the Antelope Valley. Glendale police arrested 18 people for drunk driving, and Burbank police said they made eight arrests.