March 2011 Archives
Those unlimited texts and cell phone calls can still come at a hefty price if drivers aren't more careful, police warned Thursday.
The Long Beach Police Department, along with more than 200 law enforcement agencies across California, will crack-down on drivers who text make hand held cell phone calls as part of the state's first Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April, police announced.
The statewide program launches on Monday with the LBPD and more than 225 other police agencies, plus 103 California Highway Patrol divisions, adopting a zero tolerance policy for distracted drivers. Those caught illegally using their cell phones will be fined $159 for the first offense and $279 for subsequent incidents, said Sgt. Rico Fernandez, a Long Beach Police Department spokesman.
"Distracted driving can have significant repercussions." Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell said in a press release issued to announce the statewide enforcement effort Thursday.
"People must understand that the consequences of distracted driving can be serious or even
sometimes fatal," McDonnell said.
Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into a crash serious enough to cause injury. Younger, inexperienced drivers under 20 years old have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes, Fernandez.
In addition, studies show that texting while driving can delay a driver's reaction time just
as severely as having a blood alcohol content of a drunk driver, the sergeant said.
"We recognize that convincing drivers to refrain from using cell phones or texting while driving isn't easy," said Office of Traffic Safety Director Christopher Murphy. "It's very difficult to resist the urge to check an incoming text or answer a cell phone call. That's why we are stepping up enforcement and public awareness efforts."
Murphy noted the same type of policy was adopted successfully 20 years to get California drivers to use their seat belts, with more than 96 percent of drivers in the state now "buckled up and thousands of lives ... saved."
The Long Beach Police Department, along with more than 200 law enforcement agencies across California, will crack-down on drivers who text make hand held cell phone calls as part of the state's first Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April, police announced.
The statewide program launches on Monday with the LBPD and more than 225 other police agencies, plus 103 California Highway Patrol divisions, adopting a zero tolerance policy for distracted drivers. Those caught illegally using their cell phones will be fined $159 for the first offense and $279 for subsequent incidents, said Sgt. Rico Fernandez, a Long Beach Police Department spokesman.
"Distracted driving can have significant repercussions." Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell said in a press release issued to announce the statewide enforcement effort Thursday.
"People must understand that the consequences of distracted driving can be serious or even
sometimes fatal," McDonnell said.
Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into a crash serious enough to cause injury. Younger, inexperienced drivers under 20 years old have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes, Fernandez.
In addition, studies show that texting while driving can delay a driver's reaction time just
as severely as having a blood alcohol content of a drunk driver, the sergeant said.
"We recognize that convincing drivers to refrain from using cell phones or texting while driving isn't easy," said Office of Traffic Safety Director Christopher Murphy. "It's very difficult to resist the urge to check an incoming text or answer a cell phone call. That's why we are stepping up enforcement and public awareness efforts."
Murphy noted the same type of policy was adopted successfully 20 years to get California drivers to use their seat belts, with more than 96 percent of drivers in the state now "buckled up and thousands of lives ... saved."
LONG BEACH -- Long Beach Police will be looking for drunk drivers this Friday night.
The citywide saturation patrol will start at 6 p.m. Friday and run until 2 a.m. Saturday, said Lisa Massacani, a Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman.
"DUI saturation patrols are a vital component in the fight against impaired drivers. Nationally, impaired driving caused by alcohol or drugs causes one death every 30 minutes, and one injury every two minutes," Massacani said in a press release issued Thursday.
Police are publicizing the stepped up patrols to educate the public about the dangers of driving under the influence and to serve as deterrent, she said.
Authorities also ask the public to call 911 if they see an impaired driver.
Funding for Friday's extra patrol officers will be provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The citywide saturation patrol will start at 6 p.m. Friday and run until 2 a.m. Saturday, said Lisa Massacani, a Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman.
"DUI saturation patrols are a vital component in the fight against impaired drivers. Nationally, impaired driving caused by alcohol or drugs causes one death every 30 minutes, and one injury every two minutes," Massacani said in a press release issued Thursday.
Police are publicizing the stepped up patrols to educate the public about the dangers of driving under the influence and to serve as deterrent, she said.
Authorities also ask the public to call 911 if they see an impaired driver.
Funding for Friday's extra patrol officers will be provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Long Beach Police Department officials said Tuesday that a citywide DUI saturation patrol resulted in a number of arrests, citations and impounded cars over the weekend.
The operation, which ran from 6 p.m. Saturday until 2 a.m. Sunday, saw 13 additional patrol officers on the streets looking for drivers under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
The results included:
- 2 DUI arrests
- 1 narcotics arrest
- 1 felony arrest
- 8 unlicensed/suspended license citations issued
- 6 vehicles impounded
- 88 miscellaneous traffic citations issued
- 41 parking citations issued
A police department press release stated, "DUI saturation patrols are a vital component in the fight against impaired drivers. Nationally, impaired driving caused by alcohol or drugs causes one death every 30 minutes, and one injury every two minutes. The average American has a 30 percent chance of being injured or killed by an impaired driver. Saturation patrols have been proven to reduce impaired driving related collisions by removing these drivers from our streets."
Funding for the operation was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Safety Administration.
Long Beach Fire Department investigators are asking for the public's help in finding a man who threw a burning container of gasoline into a North Long Beach apartment and who now faces a charge of attempted murder.
Neighbors of the victim told members of the Arson Unit they were awakened at about 5 a.m. Friday by the sound of breaking glass, said Steve Yamamoto, a Long Beach Fire Department spokesman.
The preliminary investigation found an unknown male tried to breakdown the front door of the apartment, in the 1900 block of East 52nd Street. He then broke a bedroom window in an attempt to throw the burning gas can into the home before fleeing.
The container did not make it inside the apartment and was quickly put out, Yamamoto said.
A car owned by the resident was also vandalized by the suspect, the firefighter said.
No one was injured.
The suspect is now wanted on suspicion of attempted murder and arson of an inhabited structure, authorities said.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call the LBFD Arson hotline at 562-570-2582.
Neighbors of the victim told members of the Arson Unit they were awakened at about 5 a.m. Friday by the sound of breaking glass, said Steve Yamamoto, a Long Beach Fire Department spokesman.
The preliminary investigation found an unknown male tried to breakdown the front door of the apartment, in the 1900 block of East 52nd Street. He then broke a bedroom window in an attempt to throw the burning gas can into the home before fleeing.
The container did not make it inside the apartment and was quickly put out, Yamamoto said.
A car owned by the resident was also vandalized by the suspect, the firefighter said.
No one was injured.
The suspect is now wanted on suspicion of attempted murder and arson of an inhabited structure, authorities said.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call the LBFD Arson hotline at 562-570-2582.
The wrecking ball can't come soon enough for those who work and use the crumbling Long Beach Courthouse.
Especially for a group of people briefly stuck in a malfunctioning elevator who had to be rescued by Firefighters Friday.
The problem was reported about 2:25 p.m. at the courthouse, 415 W. Ocean Blvd.,
said Steve Yamamoto, a Long Beach Fire Department spokesman.
"There were wires sparking inside the elevator," Yamamoto
said, adding that no one was hurt.
By 3 p.m., everyone was brought out safely, the firefighter said.
It is at least the second time this year that people have been trapped in one of the ailing elevators at the Long Beach Superior Court.
A plan to replace the courthouse is slated to break ground later this spring.
Especially for a group of people briefly stuck in a malfunctioning elevator who had to be rescued by Firefighters Friday.
The problem was reported about 2:25 p.m. at the courthouse, 415 W. Ocean Blvd.,
said Steve Yamamoto, a Long Beach Fire Department spokesman.
"There were wires sparking inside the elevator," Yamamoto
said, adding that no one was hurt.
By 3 p.m., everyone was brought out safely, the firefighter said.
It is at least the second time this year that people have been trapped in one of the ailing elevators at the Long Beach Superior Court.
A plan to replace the courthouse is slated to break ground later this spring.
LONG BEACH -- A woman who stabbed a man was shot by police after a stun gun and repeated orders for her to drop her weapon failed to stop her attack, police said Thursday.
Deputy Police Chief Robert Luna said the incident began shortly before 3 p.m. when a West Division Patrol Officer was dispatched to the 3100 block of Pine Avenue on an unknown trouble call.
During the emergency call dispatchers could hear a woman screaming and when the officer arrived on scene, within 4 minutes of the call for help, he saw a woman stabbing a man over and over.
"He was bleeding pretty good," said Luna, who described the weapon only as a sharp object.
The pair were standing in a driveway next to a home and when the officer asked the woman to stop she kept on with the attack, Luna said.
The officer then used his Taser, but the weapon appeared to have no effect on the woman who continued to stab the victim, Luna said.
"(The officer) immediately pulls out his gun and continues to tell her to to drop the object," Luna said. "She's not stopping and he opens fire and she goes down."
It was not clear Thursday how many shots were fired or where the suspect was hit, said Nancy Pratt, a Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman.
Luna said the suspect, whose name was not available Thursday, was rushed to a local hospital and listed in extremely critical condition Thursday.
The officer who shot the suspect immediately began first-aid efforts on the victim, who was also taken to a local hospital and critical condition but stable.
Luna praised the efforts of the officer.
"If he hadn't gotten here as fast as he did and taken action as fast as he did she would have continued the attack and the victim could very well have died," the deputy chief said.
Luna said officers at the scene were expected to be there for several more hours as they searched for witnesses and gathered evidence at the scene.
The officer who shot the suspect was not hurt , the deputy chief said.
"Physically he appears to be OK," Luna said. "Obviously for an officer to be involved in a (shooting) that's pretty traumatic and we will make sure he sees the department's psychologist."
Police issued a Nixle alert Thursday afternoon warning motorists to avoid the area of Pine Avenue and 31st Street as police shut down portions of the neighborhood for their investigation.
The closure was expected to last several hours.
Anyone with information about the incident was asked to call the Long Beach Police Department's Homicide Detail, at 562-570-7244, which investigates all the officer involved shootings within the department.
A separate investigation is typically done by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and, if either the suspect or victim succumb to their injuries, the Los Angeles County Coroner's Department.
Deputy Police Chief Robert Luna said the incident began shortly before 3 p.m. when a West Division Patrol Officer was dispatched to the 3100 block of Pine Avenue on an unknown trouble call.
During the emergency call dispatchers could hear a woman screaming and when the officer arrived on scene, within 4 minutes of the call for help, he saw a woman stabbing a man over and over.
"He was bleeding pretty good," said Luna, who described the weapon only as a sharp object.
The pair were standing in a driveway next to a home and when the officer asked the woman to stop she kept on with the attack, Luna said.
The officer then used his Taser, but the weapon appeared to have no effect on the woman who continued to stab the victim, Luna said.
"(The officer) immediately pulls out his gun and continues to tell her to to drop the object," Luna said. "She's not stopping and he opens fire and she goes down."
It was not clear Thursday how many shots were fired or where the suspect was hit, said Nancy Pratt, a Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman.
Luna said the suspect, whose name was not available Thursday, was rushed to a local hospital and listed in extremely critical condition Thursday.
The officer who shot the suspect immediately began first-aid efforts on the victim, who was also taken to a local hospital and critical condition but stable.
Luna praised the efforts of the officer.
"If he hadn't gotten here as fast as he did and taken action as fast as he did she would have continued the attack and the victim could very well have died," the deputy chief said.
Luna said officers at the scene were expected to be there for several more hours as they searched for witnesses and gathered evidence at the scene.
The officer who shot the suspect was not hurt , the deputy chief said.
"Physically he appears to be OK," Luna said. "Obviously for an officer to be involved in a (shooting) that's pretty traumatic and we will make sure he sees the department's psychologist."
Police issued a Nixle alert Thursday afternoon warning motorists to avoid the area of Pine Avenue and 31st Street as police shut down portions of the neighborhood for their investigation.
The closure was expected to last several hours.
Anyone with information about the incident was asked to call the Long Beach Police Department's Homicide Detail, at 562-570-7244, which investigates all the officer involved shootings within the department.
A separate investigation is typically done by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office and, if either the suspect or victim succumb to their injuries, the Los Angeles County Coroner's Department.
LONG BEACH -- Police are responding to an officer-involved shooting in the 3100 block of Pine Avenue that resulted in a woman being sent to a local hospital.
Long Beach Police were responding to a call in the area in at about 3 p.m. when the shooting occurred, said Nancy Pratt, a Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman.
Pratt said details of how the shooting came about were not yet available.
The suspect was a female and she was rushed to a local hospital for treatment, Pratt said.
Her condition was not immediately known, Pratt said.
"No officers were shot or harmed during the incident," Pratt said.
The LBPD issued a traffic alert through the Nixle on-line messaging system asking motorists to avoid the area. Traffic was shut down for about two blocks north of the scene and at least one block south of the location.
It was not known how long traffic would have to be diverted, police said.
Long Beach Police were responding to a call in the area in at about 3 p.m. when the shooting occurred, said Nancy Pratt, a Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman.
Pratt said details of how the shooting came about were not yet available.
The suspect was a female and she was rushed to a local hospital for treatment, Pratt said.
Her condition was not immediately known, Pratt said.
"No officers were shot or harmed during the incident," Pratt said.
The LBPD issued a traffic alert through the Nixle on-line messaging system asking motorists to avoid the area. Traffic was shut down for about two blocks north of the scene and at least one block south of the location.
It was not known how long traffic would have to be diverted, police said.
LONG BEACH -- Police are responding to an officer involved shooting in the 3100 block of Pine Avenue.
No details were immediately available Thursday, although it did appear that at least one person was hit, officials said.
It was not known if the shooting had resulted in a death.
The incident happened at about 3 p.m.
No details were immediately available Thursday, although it did appear that at least one person was hit, officials said.
It was not known if the shooting had resulted in a death.
The incident happened at about 3 p.m.
LONG BEACH -- Revelers take heed, the Long Beach Police Department will hold a citywide DUI patrol this weekend.
The operation, which will see extra patrol units saturate all areas of the city, is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Saturday and will run until 2 a.m. Sunday, said Lisa Massacani, a Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman.
Funding for the operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration..
The public is also encouraged to help keep roadways safe by calling 911 if they see a suspected impaired driver.
The operation, which will see extra patrol units saturate all areas of the city, is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Saturday and will run until 2 a.m. Sunday, said Lisa Massacani, a Long Beach Police Department spokeswoman.
Funding for the operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration..
The public is also encouraged to help keep roadways safe by calling 911 if they see a suspected impaired driver.
LOS ANGELES -- Former Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti has endorsed a local prosecutor for the job of DA.
The campaign for Deputy District Attorney Danette Meyers, who is prosecuting the necklace theft case against Lindsay Lohan, announced Garcetti's endorsement Wednesday.
"She is a premier trial lawyer with more significant felony trial experience than 99 percent of her colleagues," Garcetti said in the statement released by Meyers' campaign. "But Danette is more than simply a very accomplished trial lawyer, she is also a leader, a visionary and a person who clearly understands and accepts the responsibilities of being the elected district attorney heading an office of 1,000 prosecutors."
Meyers was most recently assigned to the DA's Long Beach office and handled several high profile felony prosecutions.
In the race for district attorney she is facing Deputy District Attorney Alan Jackson and Mario Trujillo, who is in charge of the District Attorney's Bellflower office.
Jacquelyn Lacey, who was promoted a week ago by District Attorney Steve Cooley to chief deputy district attorney, has formed an exploratory committee to determine if she will run for the top seat.
Cooley, who will finish his third term in 2012, has not yet ruled out running for a fourth term.
