Sobriety Screening Results in 2 Arrests

Two people were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence Friday night at a sobriety checkpoint at Rose Avenue and Gonzales Road, authorities said.

This was the 29th checkpoint conducted by the Oxnard and Port Hueneme police departments this year, and the second of the holiday season.

Senior Traffic Officer Ken Klopman said 784 vehicles were screened as they passed through the checkpoint, which began at 7 p.m. and ended at 2 a.m. Saturday.

Four drivers were given field sobriety tests and two of those were arrested. Officers cited 17 for license violations.

Tow-truck operators impounded 15 vehicles of drivers who were impaired or had no driver’s license.

Klopman said the goal of the state-funded checkpoints is to reduce accidents by removing drunken, drugged and unlicensed drivers from the road.

Since the state-funded checkpoint program began in 1994, alcohol-related crashes have decreased by more than 35% in Oxnard. By the time the twice-monthly checkpoint grant ends in December 1998, the department hopes to reduce the number of auto accidents caused by alcohol by another 20%.