By Emily Alvarenga & Raychel Stewart
Signal Staff Writers
Santa Clarita Valley residents kept law enforcement and first responders busy this past holiday weekend, with all local emergency response agencies reporting an increase in calls for service.
The SCV Sheriff’s Station responded to nine calls for service for fires in the local area on the Sunday holiday, including two large brush fires, which erupted on either end of the valley within minutes of each other, as well as multiple calls related to illegal firework use, according to Lt. Rod Loughridge and fire officials.
On the Fourth alone, sheriff’s deputies got six calls for service for people suspected of driving under the influence, as well as one observation traffic stop, with two arrests made that day, Loughridge said.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department had a 300-call increase for emergency services this past Sunday, said Supervisor Henry Narvaez.
“For some context, this last Sunday the department had 1,500 calls dispatched whereas on any other regular Sunday – the Sunday before – we had 1,200 calls dispatched,” Narvaez added.
Additionally, California Highway Patrol officers had a total of 16 DUI arrests through the long weekend, according to CHP Newhall-area spokesman Officer Josh Greengard.
Of the two DUI arrests made by sheriff’s deputies Sunday was one in which a man nearly crashed into families gathered to watch the fireworks on Sunday.
The incident occurred on the 23800 block of Newhall Ranch Road, near Real Life Church, with Modelo bottles visible in and around the vehicle following the crash.
The driver attempted to flee the scene, but was taken into custody a short time later and subsequently arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to Loughridge.
No injuries were reported as a result of the incident.
