St. Patrick’s Day DUI Enforcement

Nature of Incident:

St. Patrick’s Day DUI Enforcement

Report Number:

21-35640, 21-35754, 21-35786, 21-35735

Location:

City of Moorpark, CA

Date & Time:

March 17, 2021 4:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.

Unit(s) Responsible:

Ventura County Sheriff’s Office - Moorpark Police Department

(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent

City of Residence

(S) Fisher, Robert
(S) Swanson, Garrett
(S) Galindo, Alejandro
(S) Lee, Eric

Fillmore
Moorpark
Thousand Oaks
North Hills

Narrative:

On March 17^th, 2021, between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m., the Moorpark Police Department conducted a DUI saturation enforcement operation in the City of Moorpark. With assistance from funds from the Office of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Administration, the Moorpark Police Department had three patrol deputies focused on taking impaired drivers off the road on St. Patrick’s Day. The deputies assigned to the detail all have extensive training in drug and alcohol impaired driving investigation and enforcement.

During the operation, deputies made four arrests for DUI alcohol. Two of the DUI arrests were the result of traffic collisions caused by impaired driving. One driver was arrested for felony DUI after he caused injury to another person as a result of the collision. Additionally, deputies stopped another vehicle which was driven by an individual who did not have a valid license and who also possessed marijuana inside his vehicle.

Drivers caught driving impaired and charged with DUI can expect the monetary impact of a DUI arrest to be approximately $13,500. This included fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspension, and possible jail time.

The Moorpark Police Department reminds drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” Prescriptions drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label can impair and results in a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs.

The Moorpark Police Department conducts regular DUI Enforcement Operations by adding additional deputies to patrol the area on a frequent basis. We will also host a Driver’s License/DUI Checkpoint in the near future, in our ongoing commitment to take unlicensed and impaired drivers off our streets and highways. DUI Saturation Patrols and Driver’s License/DUI Checkpoints aid in lowering the risks for deaths and injuries associated with unlicensed and impaired driving.

In 2021, over 50 DUI arrests have been made by the Moorpark Police Department thus far. Deputies are on pace to exceed the average of 160 DUI arrests made in 2019 and 2020. We will continue to educate the public about the dangers and cost of DUI as well as aggressively enforce this senseless crime with a policy of zero tolerance.

Driving impaired is dangerous to everyone on the road. If you ever see a suspected drunk driver, call 911.