Valley Sees New Year’s Crime Drop : Law enforcement: Two die in traffic accidents and two are stabbed, but police report a decrease in violence, gunfire compared to past.

The San Fernando Valley ushered in the new year Sunday in relatively nonviolent fashion, as police reported a decrease in crime and the use of gunfire compared to previous New Year’s Day celebrations.

However, two people died in traffic accidents in Northridge and Mission Hills, and stabbings were reported in Canoga Park and at the border of Arleta and Panorama City.

There was one death on Los Angeles County freeways, according to the California Highway Patrol, and officials reported that motor vehicle deaths and drunk driving arrests were down from the previous year.

“We’re happy about that,” said CHP spokesman Tito Gomez. “Apparently, we did a pretty good job informing the public not to drink and drive this year.”

The county’s single freeway fatality was down from the four reported over the 1994 New Year’s holiday. Statewide, there were eight freeway fatalities, compared with 13 during last year’s holiday. Between 6 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Sunday, officials marked 195 drunk driving-related arrests in Los Angeles County, down from 212 for the same period the previous year.

Statewide, the CHP arrested 877 intoxicated drivers, down from 924 the previous year. The CHP’s efforts included a sobriety checkpoint in Newhall on Friday night.

In the Valley, police deployed more than twice the number of motorcycle officers to patrol streets during New Year’s festivities. Although police will not have numbers until Tuesday, early indications were that drunk driving arrests were down this year.

“Seems to be--I may be wrong--quieter than usual. I have no idea why,” said LAPD Sgt. Rod Grahek.

About midnight Saturday, police said, a motorist was killed near the intersection of Parthenia Street and Etiwanda Avenue in Northridge when his car skidded off the road, hitting a lamp standard and power pole.

The driver, Carlos Edmundo Flores of Sepulveda, was not wearing a seat belt at the time, authorities said.

Less than five hours later, two cars collided near the intersection of Sepulveda Boulevard and Devonshire Street in Mission Hills, killing a passenger in one of the cars. Delores Ochoa, 64, of Encino, died after the car she was riding in made a left turn into a private driveway and was hit by an oncoming car, police said.

Also on Sunday, police arrested Jose Hermas on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon after he allegedly stabbed his cousin, Ramon Cruz, in the neck and face during New Year’s Eve party in Canoga Park.

A few hours later, Michael Carrera, 25, of Mission Hills, was stabbed in the shoulder and torso at a restaurant near the intersection of Van Nuys Boulevard and Woodman Avenue, police said. The attacker reportedly mistook Carrera for his cousin and fled.