Police intercept post-Superbowl drunk drivers

More than half of the motorists arrested on Sunday in Glendale for alleged drunk driving attended a Super Bowl party, officials said.

Of the nine motorists arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, six were attending or leaving a Super Bowl party, Sgt. Michael Glassick said.

Two motorists were involved in minor traffic collisions, during which they crashed in a parking lot and into a mailbox, he added. No one was injured.

One of the motorists had a .25-blood alcohol level, more than three times the legal limit, Glassick said.

Glendale police, along with officers from the San Marino Police Department, stopped 80 vehicles as they looked for suspected drunk drivers as part of an “Avoid the 100” anti-DUI operation.

A grant-funded phlebotomist accompanied officers during the operation to draw blood samples in the field.

Motorists have the option to choose if they want their blood drawn or to use a Breathalyzer to measure their blood alcohol level, Glassick added.

Having a phlebotomist available to officers during DUI operations has allowed them to spend more time patrolling instead of in a hospital emergency room, Glassick said.

Officers conducted more than 25 field sobriety tests and impounded five vehicles.

Another five arrests were made in connection with narcotics, an outstanding warrant, a felony and driver’s license violations. Police also issued four citations for various infractions.

Sunday was also the busiest day for officers patrolling the Foothill (210), Glendale (2) and Ventura (134) freeways during the weekend, said Officer Saul Gomez of the California Highway Patrol in Los Angeles.

Officers from the CHP’s Altadena station arrested nine motorists on suspicion of DUI, he added.

Still, no fatal collisions were reported this weekend.

“It turned out to be a fairly good weekend,” Gomez said.