LAKE COUNTY — The Christmas and New Year holidays mean more California Highway Patrol cars than usual are watching the state”s highways.
The CHP had 80 percent of its force patrolling the highways during a maximum enforcement period from Dec. 24 through Dec. 28. The CHP plans to hold another maximum enforcement operation for the New Year holiday, from tonight at 6 p.m. through midnight on Sunday.
“Consider this a warning. We will be out there taking a zero-tolerance approach and will arrest you if you are drinking and driving,” Clear Lake Area CHP Lt. Mark Loveless said in a prepared statement.
Drivers are urged to call 9-1-1 to report suspected drunk drivers. Callers should be prepared to provide a description of the vehicle, its location and its direction of travel.
In Lake County, three drivers were arrested on DUI charges during the Christmas enforcement period. According to Clear Lake Area CHP officer Adam Garcia, that number dropped this year from 10 arrests last Christmas. He said seven traffic accidents occurred in the area this year and three people were injured, a drop from 11 accidents and three injuries last year.
“The most important statistic is that there were no fatalities,” Garcia said.
Garcia said officers were charged with preventing accidents caused by speeding or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and with enforcing the state requirement to buckle up.
“Those are the three most common causes of collisions,” Garcia said.
Among those charged with DUI was a Windsor man. He was charged with driving under the influence of methamphetamine and other controlled substances on Christmas Day, according to Garcia. Francis Edward Boettcher Jr., 56, veered off of Highway 29 approximately a mile north of the Lake-Napa county line into some bushes and severely injured two passengers, according to Garcia.
Passengers Patsy Boettcher, 81, and Clifford Marshall, 90, both suffered major injuries. Patsy Boettcher was transported by air ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, and a South Lake County Fire ambulance took Marshall to St. Helena Hospital in Clearlake. Francis Edward Boettcher Jr. suffered minor injuries.
“There were people trying to call him in for erratic driving prior to the crash, but they couldn”t because of bad cellular service,” Garcia said.
Statewide, arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs are down 15 percent from last Christmas, according to a CHP press release.
Thirty-seven Californians died as a result of crashes during the Christmas holiday enforcement operation compared to 43 in 2007.
Among those killed this year, the CHP release said 15 were not wearing seat belts.
“Remember to designate a non-drinking driver before the celebrating begins, watch your speed and always wear your seat belt,” Loveless said.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com, or call her directly at 263-5636 ext. 37.
