Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Labor Day crackdown nets 10

By Michelle Alaimo

The Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department arrested 10 drivers, two for drunken driving, at a Sept. 4 Labor Day weekend sobriety checkpoint in Los Gatos, police officials said.

The sobriety checkpoint at Winchester Boulevard and Lark Avenue was set up from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. and was part of a countywide DUI crackdown known as Avoid the 13.

Approximately 600 cars went through the Los Gatos checkpoint, Sgt. Michael Yorks said. While only two were arrested for DUI, another eight were arrested for being unlicensed drivers or driving with a suspended license, he said. A total of 11 drivers were given a field sobriety test for showing signs of driving under the influence, and of the 10 drivers arrested, six had their cars towed, Yorks said. He explained the other cars were not towed because they were driven home by a passenger.

The campaign was "very successful," Yorks said, adding that the approximately 40 officers from four police departments, including Campbell, West Valley-Mission College District and San Jose State University, received positive comments from drivers passing through the checkpoint.

Countywide, 136 arrests were made during the mini-campaign. Overall in Santa Clara County, arrests were down 10 percent compared to 1996 arrest totals of 151. No Avoid the 13 mini campaign was held in 1997.

Yorks said that holidays tend to be a major time for DUIs.

He added that Los Gatos had no major accidents over the Labor Day weekend that were attributed to alcohol. No drinking and driving deaths were reported in Santa Clara County.

Avoid the 13's main holiday campaign begins Dec. 18 and ends on Jan. 3, 1999.

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