Category Archives: CHP

CHP: DUI arrests down, fatalities up during first portion of long holiday weekend

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CALIFORNIA — Statewide arrests for intoxicated driving were down compared with last year, but traffic fatalities were up, during the first 60 hours of the long Thanksgiving weekend, according to the California Highway Patrol.
CHP Officers arrested 840 people on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol between 6:01 p.m. Wednesday and 6 a.m. Saturday, CHP officials said in a written statement. Officers arrested 903 people on suspicion of intoxicated driving during the same time period last year.
Seventeen people died in crashes during the reporting period, compared with 14 in 2011, CHP officials said.

CHP checkpoint planned near Covina

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COVINA — California Highway Patrol officers are planning to screen drivers for sobriety and licenses during a checkpoint late Saturday.
The checkpoint will begin at 6 p.m. at an undisclosed location in the unincorporated county area near Covina, CHP officials announced in a written statement.
Traffic permitting, officers plan to check every vehicle, officials said. If traffic becomes to heavy to allow that, officers will switch to a pre-set standard, such as every third car or every fifth car, to ensure objectivity.

UPDATED: Overturned SUV blocks traffic on 210 Freeway in Arcadia

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ARCADIA — An overturned SUV with an injured driver snarled the Wednesday morning commute on the eastbound 210 Freeway.
The crash was reported shortly before 8 a.m. on the freeway at Huntington Drive, California Highway Patrol Officer Tatiana Sauquillo said.
A 56-year-old Pasadena man was driving a 1999 Mitsubishi Montero in the number three lane at about 60 mph prior to the crash, California Highway Patrol officer Kerri Rivas said in a written statement.
“(The driver) attempted to make a lane change into the number two lane and quickly realized there was another vehicle already established in that lane,” Rivas said.
“(He) swerved back into his own lane to avoid a collision. However, he lost control of the Montero and his vehicle rolled over,” the officer said.
The SUV came to a rest on its side, and the driver managed to climb out through the shattered windshield, officials said. He was hospitalized with moderate injuries including a broken arm and severe abrasions.
Firefighters and CHP officers briefly shut down all eastbound lanes of the freeway as they tended to the injured driver and moved the wreckage to the side of the road, officials said.
All but the carpool lane of the freeway were closed down for nearly an hour as a result of the crash. All lanes were re-opened, but remained sluggish, at 9 a.m.
The cause of the crash was being investigated by the Baldwin Park office of the CHP.

UPDATED: CHP issues Amber Alert for abducted 16-year-old girl

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The California Highway Patrol has issued an Amber Alert for a 16-year-old Monterey County girl and a father and son accused of abducting her Saturday.
Eunice Serrato was abducted from San Ardo about 9:45 p.m. Saturday by Juan Manual Salazar Jr., 19, and Juan Salazar Sr., 39, according to an Amber Alert issued by the CHP.
The father and son were reportedly linked to a double-homicide early Sunday morning in San Ardo. Authorities told a television station the suspects may be headed south toward Mexico.
The three were last seen in a white, 4-door, 1990 Acura with a California license plate number of 4SAE963.
Serrato is described as Latino, 5 feet 5 inches tall, 130 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. She has a tattoo reading “3/10/10″ on her right middle finger, one that says “love” on her back and another that reads “vellen” on her upper right leg. She was last seen wearing a blue and white shirt, pink jacket, blue jeans and sandals.
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Salazar Jr. is Latino, 5 feet 8 inches tall, 150 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes, officials said. He may be wearing glasses.
“(Salazar) may also have a gunshot wound and should be considered armed and dangerous,” according to the CHP alert.
Salazar Sr.’s physical description is the same as his son’s, though he does not wear glasses.
No further details regarding the circumstances of the abduction or the relationship, if any, between the alleged victim and abductors was released.
Anyone with information is asked to call 9-1-1 or the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office at 831-385-8312.
PHOTOS courtesy of the CHP. Top – Eunice Serrato; Center – Juan Salazar Jr.; Bottom – Juan Salazar Sr.
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CHP remembers anniversary of two fallen officers

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Baldwin Park
May 13, 1978
Officers Harold E. Horine and William F. Leiphardt, Jr., both 39 years old, were partners working out of the Baldwin Park Area office. Horine and Leiphardt were investigating a roadside crash involving an abandoned vehicle when a passing tractor and trailer swerved onto the shoulder, smashed into the abandoned car, and rammed it into the patrol officers. Horine and Leiphardt were both killed instantly. Officer Horine had been a member of the Patrol for 10 years, and Office Leiphardt had 12 years of service with the CHP. The truck driver was charged with felony drunk driving and manslaughter.
The driver was ultimately sentenced to 26 weekends in jail.
- From the CHP
PHOTOS: (Top – Horine; Below – Leiphardt)  CHP fallen officer memorial page
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A thank you to CHP volunteers

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By Capt. Marc Shaw, Commander of the Baldwin Park area office of the California Highway Patrol:

Thank you CHP
Volunteers

Throughout the year, there are numerous
days and weeks designated to honor groups and/or individuals. The
week of April 15th is designated as National Volunteer
Week and the men and women who comprise this very special group are
often under-recognized.

As the commander of the CHP office in
Baldwin Park, I am incredibly fortunate to have a cadre of senior
volunteers that exemplify exactly what it means to fill such a
special role. The ten men and one woman who give unselfishly of
their time and energy donated over five thousand hours of service in
2011. Some assist the support staff working in the office, others
participate in ride alongs with officers, many attend impaired driver
checkpoints and hand out literature to those driving through, while a
couple assist in the maintenance and preparation of patrol vehicles.
No matter what task they take on, it is always done with dedication
and a smile.

The volunteers come from a diverse
background and their lifelong experiences are beneficial to everyone
in the command. Many times, I find myself in awe as they share a
story about their past. Perhaps the most fascinating characteristic
of these amazing people is that they seek nothing in return. In
fact, they often thank ME for allowing them to be a part of our
program.

Each day I count my blessings and
remind myself how lucky I am to have Denis, Dennis, Henry, Jim,
Perry, Ray, Rich, Rudy, Sandy, Sam, and Sherm working side by side
with my team. They are amazing! Not only can they teach us a thing
or two about volunteering, every day they teach us how to be better
people.

“What we have done for ourselves
alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world
remains and is immortal.” ~ Albert Pike

Captain Marc Shaw

Commander

Baldwin Park Area CHP

Rain brings increase in car crashes in L.A. County

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LOS ANGELES COUNTY — California Highway Patrol officials said a major spike in traffic collisions Saturday morning as heavy rain fell on the county.
CHP officials received reports of 422 crashes in Los Angeles County between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m., CHP Officer Tatiana Sauquillo said.
During the same time period one week ago, when the weather was dry, 58 collisions were reported, she said.
During hazardous conditions such as rain, even the posted speed limit may be too fast to travel at safely, CHP officials said in a written statement, and motorists are advised to slow down and increasing their following distance behind other vehicles.

Hit and run ends in fatal collision *UPDATED

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*The California Highway Patrol originally reported incorrect information regarding this story. It has been updated below.

From the SGV Tribune:

WEST COVINA – A man was killed in a fatal crash Monday, California Highway Patrol officials said Tuesday.

Gustavo Cesena, of West Covina, was killed about 10:30 p.m. Monday, said Officer Heather Hoglund. Cesena was not wearing his seat belt, Hoglund said.

CHP officer shoots, kills husband

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COMPTON — In what investigators are calling a “domestic violence-related incident,” an off-duty CHP officer shot and killer her husband late Saturday.

Few details of the shooting were released Sunday.

The incident occurred just after 11 p.m. in the 400 block of Amantha Avenue in Compton, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said in a written statement.

Neither the dead man nor the officer were identified.

“The suspect became verbally and physically combative toward the off-duty officer and the victim was able to retreive a firearm and shoot the suspect once in the upper torso,” Los Angeles County sheriff’s Deputy Rick Pedroza said in a written release.

“The investigation is ongoing, and there is no further information available at this time,” he said.

In memory of Joe Sanders

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LayDownMyLife.com, A Web site devoted to the memories of CHP officers who have died in the line of duty, has set up a page dedicated to Joe Sanders.

On Monday, Dec. 15, Sanders was struck and killed by a vehicle while directing traffic at the scene of a previous accident on Pomona Freeway in Hacienda Heights.