Category Archives: DUI

Azusa man killed by alleged drunken driver identified

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AZUSA — Coroner’s officials Sunday released the name of an Azusa man who was killed in a collision with an alleged drunken driver on Saturday.
Jose Reyes, 57, died at the scene of the the 12:11 a.m. crash at Gladstone Street and Jackson Avenue, in an unincorporated county area near Azusa, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Investigator Kerry McKibben said.
Juan C. Salinas-Reyes, 38, of Azusa, was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, vehicular manslaughter and driving on a suspended license following the collision, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Stephen Sullinger.
Reyes was northbound on Jackson Avenue crossing Gladstone Street when his 2006 Toyota was broadsided by a 2001 GMC being driven by Salinas-Reyes eastbound on Gladstone Street at about 80 mph.
The fatal crash is being investigated by the Baldwin Park Office of the CHP, and any witness are asked to contact the office at 626-338-1164.

Azusa man killed, another suspected of DUI following Gladstone Street crash

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AZUSA — An Azusa man died and another was suspected of crimes including drunken driving and vehicular manslaughter Saturday following an early-morning crash on Gladstone Street, officials said.
The dead man’s name was not released pending confirmation that his family had been notified, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Lt. Larry Dietz said. California Highway Patrol officials described him as a 55-year-old Azusa man.
Juan C. Salinas-Reyes, 38, of Azusa was booked on suspicion of drunken driving causing death, vehicular manslaughter while while under the influence of alcohol with gross negligence and driving with a suspended license, California Highway Patrol Officer Stephen Sullinger said in a written statement.
The crash took place just after 12:10 a.m. on Gladstone Street at Jackson Avenue, in an unincorporated county area near Azusa.
Salinas Reyes was driving a 2001 GMC eastbound in the right-hand lane of Gladstone Street approaching Jackson Avenue at about 80 mph prior to the collision, Sullinger said.
The 55-year-old man was headed north on Jackson Avenue through the intersection when the speeding GMC slammed into the driver side of his 2006 Toyota, officials said. The GMC then continued out of control and crashed into a utility pole.
The driver of the Toyota was pronounced dead at the scene, while Salinas-Reyes suffered apparently minor injuries including lacerations to his face and leg, according to the CHP.
The intersection where the crash occurred is regulated by stop signs for northbound and southbound traffic on Jackson Avenue.
Anyone witnesses or anyone with information is asked to contact the Baldwin Park office of the CHP at 626-338-1164.

L.A. County task force makes 456 DUI arrests over weekend during ongoing holiday crackdown

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LOS ANGELES COUNTY — A coalition of law enforcement arrested 456 people on suspicion of intoxicated driving during their holiday DUI crackdown, authorities said.
The arrested were made between 12:01 a.m. Friday and midnight Sunday in Los Angeles County by a coalition of 100 law enforcement agencies collectively knows as “Avoid the 100,” Glendora police Senior Community Service Officer and task force coordinator Wendy Brewer said in a written statement.
Drunken and drugged driving arrests were down compared with the same time period last year, when 598 arrests were reported, she said. Two traffic fatalities were reported in the county over the weekend, and both were linked to allegedly intoxicated drivers.
The Avoid the 100 Task Force will continue its crackdown through New Year’s Day, officials said.
Funding for the task force is being provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Deputies plan sobriety/drivers license checkpoint in Pico Rivera

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PICO RIVERA — Sheriff’s officials are planning a checkpoint Friday to screen drivers for sobriety and drivers licenses.
The checkpoint will be held from 6 p.m. Friday through 2 a.m. the following morning at an undsiclosed location within Pico Rivera, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said in a written statement.
“Alcohol impaired deaths make up the largest number of vehicle fatalities, with 31 percent of all vehicle fatalities caused by a drunk driver,” according to the statement.
Anyone who spots an intoxicated driver on the road is asked to report it immediately by calling 9-1-1.

Teen accused of DUI following chase from Covina to Azusa

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Police arrested an 18-year-old suspect on suspicion of drunken driving early Sunday after he led officers on a 7-mile chase from Covina to Azusa that ended in a crash, authorities said.
Flavio Mondragon of Azusa was booked on suspicion of intoxicated driving and evading police, Covina police Sgt. Tom Tardif said.
An officer tried to pull Mondragon over for a traffic violation as he drove in a pickup truck about 12:30 a.m. in the area of Citrus Avenue and Covina Boulevard, the sergeant said.
Mondragon refused to pull over and blew threw red lights as he led officers on a chase that ended when he crashed into a wrought iron fence surrounding an apartment complex at Gladstone Street, just east of Pasadena Avenue, in Azusa, according to Covina and Azusa police officials said.
The driver exited the crashed pickup truck and briefly began to run before surrendering, Tardif said.

Car crashes into South Pasadena home; driver suspected of DUI

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SOUTH PASADENA — A family was fortunate to escape injury after a drunken driver plowed a car into their living room early Sunday, police said.
Veronica Villanueve, 24, of Oregon was booked on suspicion of misdemeanor drunken driving and released with a citation, South Pasadena police Sgt. Mike Neff said.
She was believed to be a student from Oregon who was visiting family in Rosemead for the holidays, and it appeared she borrowed the involved car from her mother, he said.
The car was northbound on Raymond Avenue just after 2:20 a.m.at high speed when it reached a “T” intersection with Alhambra Road, the sergeant said.
The car skidded through the intersection and, “ended up in the living room,” Neff said.
“There were about nine people staying in the house,” he said. “Fortunately, no one was in the living room at the time.”
Investigating officers determined Villanueva was under the influence of alcohol and arrested her, Neff said.
According to county booking records, she was due for an arraignment Dec. 24 in Alhambra Superior Court.

PHOTOS courtesy of the South Pasadena Police Department

La Puente woman accused of DUI following head-on crash in Hacienda Heights

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HACIENDA HEIGHTS — A La Puente woman was behind bars Saturday on suspicion of drunken driving in connection with an early-morning head-on crash that sent six people to the hospital, authorities said.
Samantha Rey Rodriguez, 21, was booked on suspicion of felony drunken driving in connection with the 12:19 a.m. crash on Countrywood Avenue near Colima Road, according to California Highway Patrol officials and county booking records.
Rodriguez was at the wheel of a 1994 Acura Legend that slammed head-on into a 2006 Honda Civic being driven by a 66-year-old La Puente woman, CHP Officer Monica Posada said.
Six people were treated for injuries ranging from minor to moderate, Posada said, though it was not immediately clear which car or cars the injured people were riding in.
Rodriguez was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail pending her initial court appearance, records show.

Covina woman accused of drunken driving crash with infant in car

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COVINA — Police arrested a Covina woman early Saturday on suspicion of drunken driving and child endangerment after crashing her car into a tree, authorities said.
Brittany Nichole Bowman, 23, of Covina was arrested following the 2:40 a.m. non-injury crash in the 500 block of North Hollenbeck Avenue, Covina police Sgt. Tom Tardif said.
Officers responded to the solo-car crash involving a Mitsubishi Mirage and discovered the driver appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, the sergeant said.
Secured in a child safety seat inside the car was the woman’s 9-month-old daughter, police added. Neither the woman nor baby were hurt.
According to county booking records, Bowman was being held in lieu of $5,000 bail pending a scheduled arraignment Tuesday in West Covina Superior Court.

County-wide DUI crackdown planned

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LOS ANGELES COUNTY — Law enforcement officials throughout the county are beginning a massive, 17-day crackdown campaign targeting intoxicated drivers Friday.
About 100 police, California Highway Patrol and sheriff’s stations known collectively as the “Avoid the 100 Task Force” will be out in force through Labor Day in search of those choose to drive while drunk or high, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said in a written statement.
Agencies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to the Pasadena Police Department will take part in the effort, which is to include both extra patrols and checkpoints.
“Obviously, we want to remind everyone that it is illegal to drive impaired, and we hope the campaign will remind people that if they plan on drinking, to never get behind the wheel,” said Glendora police Lt. Rob Lamborghini. “But if someone does choose to drive impaired, we will arrest them.”
San Gabriel Valley-area checkpoints to be held during the crackdown include:
*Friday: Pasadena
*Saturday: San Gabriel, undisclosed city within patrol area of CHP’s Baldwin Park office.
*Aug. 24: South Pasadena, Norwalk
*Aug. 26: Pasadena, West Covina
*Aug. 31: Undisclosed cities within the patrol areas of the CHP’s Altadena and Santa Fe Springs stations
The program is paid for by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Two killed, Baldwin Park man accused of DUI following crash on 60 Freeway in Monterey Park

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MONTEREY PARK — A Baldwin Park man is suspected of drunken driving in after slamming his pickup truck into a disabled car on the 60 Freeway late Thursday, killing a man and woman inside, authorities said.
Salvador Tamayo, 39, was treated for minor injuries and booked on suspicion of felony drunken driving following the 10:16 p.m. crash on the westbound 60 Freeway, just east of Atlantic Boulevard, California Highway Patrol Officer Doris Peniche said in a written statement.
Killed were Jorge A. Perez, 34, and his passenger, 31-year-old Beatriz Castillo, both of Los Angeles, officials said.
Perez and Castillo were inside a 2008 Honda Civic travelling about 50 mph in the slow lane when the car apparently clipped a big-rig and went out of control, Peniche said. The Honda struck the center divider wall and became disable, facing sideways in the fast lane.
Tamayo, who was driving a 2003 Ford F-250 pickup at an unknown speed, “failed to react in time, and the front of (the pickup truck) struck the rights side of (the Honda),” Peniche said.
The large pickup truck pushed the Honda about 200 feet and ultimately came to a rest on top of the sedan, the officer said.
Perez and Castillo suffered fatal injuries in the impact and were pronounced dead at the scene by Monterey Fire Department paramedics, officials said.