Full Notification

SVPD Traffic Bureau Officers arrested a male driver with a high blood alcohol level on 12/18/17 at approximately 4:30 in the afternoon. During the busy commute time, a vehicle was seen trying to drive onto the bicycle path near Easy Street on the west side of town.

Motor Officer Matthew Cartwright located the vehicle as it drove from the bike path entrance toward Madera Road and he attempted to stop it. The driver continued to drive onto Madera Road and eventually stopped to the front of Leo's Liquor near Tierra Rejada and Ridgegate Lane.

Officer Kevin VanFleet responded to assist and conducted a DUI evaluation after observing the driver's thick, slow and slurred speech. The driver provided breath samples with a result of .34% blood alcohol level. This was 3.25 times above the limit of 0.8%. The Simi Valley resident, Joseph Erik Bruns, 41, was booked at the Ventura County Jail without incident.

The Simi Valley Police Department will continue it's proactive enforcement of all DUI laws, whether involving alcohol, Marijuana or other drugs. We strongly encourage anyone who consumes a mind bending substance to utilize a car service or phone a friend to drive them to their destination. Since there are no excuses to drive while impaired, the police department will have a no tolerance stance on these crimes that are proven to kill, maim and injure innocents across our nation.

The Ventura County Sheriff is authorized to release any booking photo involved in this case.