SANTA ANA POLICE TO STEP UP DUI ENFORCEMENT
The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Saturday, November 26th, 2011. It will begin at 7:30 PM and is scheduled to conclude at 1:30AM. It will be conducted in the area of 2100 S. Main Street. Continue reading
Tragedy struck tonight, at approximately 6:22 pm, when a 3-year old was struck by a car, in Santa Ana. He died later in a local hospital.
According to the Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) a family was crossing 5th Street at Bewely and was reportedly holding the hand of their 3 year-old. A passing vehicle struck the 3 year-old and fled the scene.
Witnesses were able to provide a vehicle description and license plate. Santa Ana police officers located the suspect vehicle and suspect at 1300 N. Clinton. The suspect was taken into custody and it appears DUI is possibly a factor. Continue reading
ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 18, 2011
Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff, Office: 714-347-8408, Cell: 714-292-2718
Farrah Emami, Spokesperson, Office: 714-347-8405, Cell: 714-323-4486
OCSD DEPUTY CHARGED WITH DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE WITH .24 BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL ON WRONG SIDE OF ROAD
SANTA ANA – An off-duty Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputy was charged today with driving under the influence of alcohol with a .24 blood alcohol level on the wrong side of the road toward an oncoming marked police vehicle. Mario Manuel Castro, 33, Orange, is charged with one misdemeanor count of driving under the influence of alcohol with a prior, one misdemeanor count of driving with a blood alcohol .08 percent or more with a prior, and a sentencing enhancement allegation for having a blood alcohol level over .15 percent. Continue reading
Most Santa Ana residents live in the 69th Assembly District, but a few, on the west side, live in the newly created 72nd Assembly District. This new district includes the following cities: Westminster, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, a portion of Huntington Beach, a portion of Santa Ana, and the unincorporated county island of Midway City.
Yes – this district includes quite a bit of Little Saigon – and it also encompasses Vietnamese communities in Fountain Valley, Santa Ana and other parts of the district. Continue reading
TONY RACKAUCKAS, ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
PRESS RELEASE, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Date: September 1, 2011
Susan Kang Schroeder, Office: 714-347-8408, Cell: 714-292-2718
Chief of Staff Farrah Emami, Spokesperson, Office: 714-347-8405, Cell: 714-323-4486
Case # 11HF222: DRUNKEN DRIVER CHARGED WITH MURDERING NEPHEW AND INJURING BROTHER-IN-LAW BY CRASHING INTO TRAFFIC LIGHT POLE
SANTA ANA – A drunken driver has been charged with murdering his nephew and severely injuring his brother-in-law after driving while intoxicated and refusing the offer of a bartender and police officer to call him a cab. Tapu Aniceto Sitagata, 27, Santa Ana, is charged with one felony count each of murder, driving under the influence causing bodily injury, driving with a blood alcohol .08 percent or more causing bodily injury, hit and run with injury, and one misdemeanor count of driving on a suspended license. Continue reading
The Santa Ana Police Department will be conducting a DUI/Drivers License checkpoint on Saturday, March 26th, 2011. It will begin at 7:30PM and is scheduled to conclude at 1:00AM. It will be conducted in the area of 3500 W 5th Street, according to the SAPD Citizen Observer website.
My own research indicates that these checkpoints actually do little to stop DUIs. In reality the SAPD uses these checkpoints to seize cars from undocumented immigrants – then they force them to pay hundreds of dollars to get their cars back.
I also found that the DUI checkpoints are never conducted in north and south Santa Ana – only in the Latino middle.
The DUI checkpoints are paid for by state grants. Local cops love them because they make a fortune working overtime.
Here is how the SAPD explains the reason they do the DUI checkpoints.
In an effort to reduce the number of persons killed and injured in alcohol involved crashes, DUI checkpoints are conducted to identify offenders and get them off the street, as well as educate the public on the dangers of impaired driving. All too often, members of our community are senselessly injured or killed on local roadways by impaired drivers. This DUI/Drivers License checkpoint is an effort to reduce those tragedies, as well as ensuring drivers have a valid driver’s license. A major component of these checkpoints is to increase awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and to encourage sober designated drivers.
A DUI checkpoint is a proven effective method for achieving this goal. By publicizing these enforcement and education efforts, the Santa Ana Police Department believes motorists can be deterred from drinking and driving.
Traffic volume and weather permitting, all vehicles may be checked and drivers who are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs will be arrested. Our objective is to send a clear message to those who are considering driving a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol and/or drugs – Drunk Driving, Over the Limit, Under Arrest. The public is encouraged to help keep roadways safe by calling 911 if they see a suspected impaired driver. Funding for this operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.