LAKE COUNTY — Local law enforcement upped patrols to focus on catching drunk drivers this Memorial Day weekend as DUIs were reported in droves around the state.
According to California Highway Patrol reports, more than 20 were killed on state highways in California last weekend, with 741 DUI arrests made within the first 30 hours statewide. The agency reported 346 of those arrests were made within the weekend’s first six hours alone.
In Lake County, law enforcement officials noted they’d upped patrols in anticipation of higher rates of drunk driving. At least six drunk driving incidents were reported across the county, based on data provided by CHP Clear Lake, the Lakeport Police Department and the Clearlake Police Department.
“It’s typical to see an increase” in DUIs over Memorial Day weekend, said Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin. But the sheriff’s office reported it had only encountered one DUI case last weekend, which it had handed over to CHP.
The Clearlake Police Department’s online reporting system shows the department responded to three DUI incidents between Friday morning and Monday morning, making two arrests.
In Lakeport, an expected DUI uptick thankfully never came.
LPD Chief Brad Rasmussen said Tuesday that only one DUI arrest was made between Friday and Monday, with one additional DUI arrest made Thursday.
“I would have thought maybe we would have some more (arrests),” Rasmussen said. “Those are low numbers.”
Around 7 p.m. Friday on Lakeport’s Main Street, Officer Casey Debolt arrested a man who had rear-ended a vehicle at an intersection.
“Due to his intoxication he didn’t see the vehicles in front of him stopping for a stop sign,” Rasmussen said of the incident. Rasmussen reported the man, who was driving a “big pickup,” rear-ended a full-size sport utility vehicle, pushing the SUV into another large pickup. The only injury was a complaint of pain, reported the LPD.
Rasmussen noted that the department “had extra coverage on for DUI” incidents, as an increase is expected for any holiday weekend. “Usually July 4 is a bigger problem,” Rasmussen added.
Based on a report made earlier this year by Rasmussen, the police department made 95 DUI arrests in 2018.
On Tuesday, CHP Clear Lake reported making a DUI arrest over the weekend after a one-car collision on Highway 20 near Blue Lakes on Saturday night.
Shana Lee Smith of Clearlake was driving a 1997 Ford Expedition with passenger Joseph Andrew Kimber and heading east on the highway just before midnight when she allowed her vehicle to cross over the oncoming lane and collide with the dirt embankment beyond the road.
“Smith was placed under arrest at the scene for suspicion of driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage,” the CHP report states. Having sustained major injuries, she was released to Sutter Lakeside Hospital for treatment. Her passenger suffered moderate injuries and was transported to the same hospital.
In a possible DUI case, an unnamed 29-year-old Santa Paula man was killed after allowing his 2005 Harley Davidson motorcycle to slide out from under him on Highway 20 near Pomo Way east of Upper Lake Monday night. Laying across the double yellow lines, the man was run over by two vehicles, the driver of one of which stopped and returned to the scene.
The driver of the second vehicle, who continued driving, did not return to the scene. CHP is still seeking information on this vehicle and its driver.
The motorcycle driver succumbed to his injuries and was taken to Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary. CHP notes “at this time, it is unknown if drugs or alcohol were a factor” for the man.
