If it seemed as though there was a heavy law-enforcement presence on Santa Clarita Valley roads and highways over Memorial Day weekend, that wasn’t an illusion.
A maximum enforcement period and what’s known as a “saturation patrol,” which means units from other California Highway Patrol offices come to a specific area for targeted enforcement, resulted in 727 citations by the CHP over the four-day weekend, according to Officer Carlos Burgos-Lopez, spokesman for the CHP Newhall-area Office.
During a maximum enforcement period, which the CHP does for holidays that involve a high volume of motor travel, such as Independence Day and other three-day weekends, all available officers are required to be on patrol, according to the CHP. A saturation patrol is a special operation that provides a particular office with funding for additional CHP units in an area.
The saturation patrol Saturday of the holiday weekend resulted in 297 citations for speeding, he said, including 25 that were issued to drivers for traveling 100 mph or faster.
Six drivers were issued citations for unsafe lane changes. Two dozen tickets were issued for distracted driving, and 43 tickets were issued for what officers refer to as “primary collision factors,” which can include running a stop sign, Burgos-Lopez said, by way of example.
In addition to nearly three dozen DUI arrests, CHP officers and SCV sheriff’s deputies also issued a number of felony citations for intoxicated driving with children in the car, which is a much more serious offense, Burgos-Lopez said Thursday.
“So, when someone’s charged additionally with child endangerment, there’s mandatory jail time that they’ll have to be imposed, and that’ll go through the courts, and that’s upon conviction of the DUI,” he said. “Along with that, there’s also a report that’s made to Child Protective Services, so they’re looking at additional jail time, additional charges, additional fines.”
The Newhall-area Office patrols a 772-square-mile jurisdiction, which includes 204 miles of freeway and 296 miles of unincorporated roads, stretching from the Interstate 5-118 Freeway juncture up to where I-5 meets Highway 138, and Highway 14 up to Ward Road. The office also covers Highway 126 to the Ventura County line.
