A Canyon Country man arrested after a crash sent a woman and a small child to the hospital was one of nearly two dozen motorists in the Santa Clarita Valley this past Memorial Day weekend charged with suspicion of DUI.
At least 18 arrests were made by officers at the Newhall Station of the California Highway Patrol, and five arrests were made by deputies with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.
In all, three of the 23 arrests involved motorists accused of DUI causing injury, and 11 were for motorists with prior DUI convictions.
David Maxim, 33, of Canyon Country, was arrested Friday on suspicion of driving under the influence causing injury in connection with a crash that sent a woman and a small child to the hospital.
On Friday, about 5 p.m., deputies responded to reports of a traffic collision on Anne Freda Street at Soledad Canyon Road.
The suspect reportedly was driving eastbound on Soledad at a high rate of speed when he allegedly went through a red light, colliding with another vehicle, said Shirley Miller, spokeswoman for the SCV Sheriff’s Station.
Maxim was detained by deputies at the scene pending a DUI investigation after deputies smelled the odor of alcohol, she said.
DUI causing injury
A woman driving a car that was allegedly struck by Maxim and her passenger, a small child, were taken to the hospital with undisclosed injuries.
Preliminary breath tests given to Maxim showed the initial results of 0.19% blood/alcohol level.
Also on Friday, about 6:20 p.m., a Canyon Country woman was arrested in connection with a a head-on crash that sent at least two people to the hospital.
Laura Joyce Duncan, 54, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury.
Just before 4:45 p.m. Friday, three vehicles, including a Chevy Impala, collided on Bouquet, north of Lenny Drive, between Coarse Gold Canyon and Texas Canyon Road.
At least one woman and one other person were hurt in the collision.
100 dangerous days of summer
Law enforcement officers refer to the Memorial Day weekend as the beginning of California’s 100 dangerous days of summer.
“A DUI crash or arrest is preventable,” CHP Officer Josh Greengard said Tuesday. “Please designate a sober driver, use public transportation, call a taxi, use a rideshare company or stay where you are for the night.”
Law enforcement officers refer to the Memorial Day weekend as the beginning of California’s 100 dangerous days of summer.
Sgt. Robert L. Hill, who heads the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Traffic Safety Operations, issued a news release Friday, putting the “100 dangerous days” in perspective.
“Memorial Day weekend is a time many spend with family and friends for outdoor activities but is also what is considered the start of California’s 100 dangerous days of summer on roadways between the Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends,” Hill said in the news release.
During this time of busy summer travel, the Sheriff’s Department will have additional officers on patrol looking for drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
Last Memorial Day, 43 people were injured in alcohol-related collisions, accounting for 25% of all injury crashes.
“If you plan on drinking, don’t plan on driving,” Hill was quoted as saying in the news release.
“Know beforehand how you are getting home. It’s never worth putting yourself and others at risk by driving when you should not be driving,” he said.
Drug-impaired crashes
In recent years, California has seen an increase in drug-impaired driving crashes.
The LASD reminds drivers that “DUI doesn’t just mean booze.”
Prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and marijuana can also affect your ability to drive safely, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs.
Hill offered tips to motorists heading into the remaining “dangerous days of summer”:
- Have a sober friend, rideshare, taxi or public transportation be your ride home.
- Report drunk drivers – call 911.
- Hosting a party? Offer non-alcoholic drinks. Monitor who is drinking and how they are getting home.
- Check any medications or over-the-counter drugs you are taking and how they may impact your ability to drive.
Funding for DUI enforcement is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
