| Orange County California - Sheriff's Department

OCSD to hold DUI checkpoint in Aliso Viejo

December 14, 2021

ALISO VIEJO, Ca (December 14, 2021) – The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on Friday, December 17, from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. at an undisclosed location in the city of Aliso Viejo.

DUI Checkpoints are placed in locations based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests. Deputies will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, with deputies checking drivers for proper licensing.

The Sheriff’s Department reminds drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.

In 2018, 1,235 people were killed in alcohol-involved crashes on California roads.

The Sheriff’s Department offers these reminders to ensure you have a safe night of fun that doesn’t involve a DUI:

Always use a designated sober driver – a friend who is not drinking, ride-share, cab or public transportation – to get home.
See someone who is clearly impaired try and drive? Take the keys and help them make other arrangements to find a sober way home.
Report drunk drivers – Call 911.
Hosting a party? Offer nonalcoholic drinks. Monitor who are drinking and how they are getting home.

Getting home safely is cheap, but getting a DUI is not. Drivers caught driving impaired and charged with DUI can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to be upwards of $13,500. This includes fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspension and other expenses, not to mention possible jail time.

Funding for this checkpoint is provided to the Sheriff’s Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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The Sheriff’s Department Working to Curb Distracted Driving in Yorba Linda

November 27, 2021

YORBA LINDA, Ca. (November 27, 2021) – Distracted driving is a dangerous and illegal behavior the Sheriff’s Department is working to deter drivers from doing.

On Tuesday, November 30, deputies will focus their efforts on drivers that are talking, texting, using an app or any other action on their phone that is not hands-free and violates California’s cell phone law. A violation is subject to a $162 fine for the first offense, and at least $285 for a second offense.

Distracted driving comes in many forms, but cell phones remain the top distraction. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3,450 people were killed in 2016 due to distracted drivers. A 2018 observational survey by Fresno State and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) found nearly 5 percent of California drivers were using their phone illegally behind the wheel, either by talking on or using their phone without a hands-free device.

In this day and age, it is natural instinct to answer the phone or read a text, but the focus for drivers should be on the road. Other distractions include eating, grooming, talking to passengers, using GPS, adjusting the radio, taking off a jacket, or reaching for an object on the floor.

If you have an important phone call or need to reprogram your navigation system, pull over to a safe parking place. To resist the urge of using your phone, either silence it or put it somewhere you can’t reach.

Funding for this distracted driving enforcement operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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The Sheriff’s Department Working to Curb Distracted Driving in Laguna Hills

November 21, 2021

LAGUNA HILLS, Ca. (November 21, 2021) – Distracted driving is a dangerous and illegal behavior the Sheriff’s Department is working to deter drivers from doing.

On Wednesday, November 24, deputies will focus their efforts on drivers that are talking, texting, using an app or any other action on their phone that is not hands-free and violates California’s cell phone law. A violation is subject to a $162 fine for the first offense, and at least $285 for a second offense.

Distracted driving comes in many forms, but cell phones remain the top distraction. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3,450 people were killed in 2016 due to distracted drivers. A 2018 observational survey by Fresno State and the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) found nearly 5 percent of California drivers were using their phone illegally behind the wheel, either by talking on or using their phone without a hands-free device.

In this day and age, it is natural instinct to answer the phone or read a text, but the focus for drivers should be on the road. Other distractions include eating, grooming, talking to passengers, using GPS, adjusting the radio, taking off a jacket, or reaching for an object on the floor.

If you have an important phone call or need to reprogram your navigation system, pull over to a safe parking place. To resist the urge of using your phone, either silence it or put it somewhere you can’t reach.

Funding for this distracted driving enforcement operation is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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In-custody death of inmate from Intake Release Center

November 15, 2021

SANTA ANA, Ca. (November 15, 2021) – On November 14, 2021, a male inmate in his 40s housed at the Intake Release Center in Santa Ana died after being found unresponsive in his cell.

Deputies and corrections medical staff provided medical attention. The inmate, housed in a single-person cell, was pronounced deceased by paramedics at the jail. Preliminarily, the cause of death does not appear to be suspicious. An independent autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death. The inmate was booked into jail on November 8, 2021.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office will investigate the in-custody death. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will conduct an in-custody death review. No additional information will be released at this time.

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19-032109 OIS

In August of 2019, deputies were involved in an officer involved shooting in the City of Stanton. The case was investigated by the Orange County District Attorney's Office and no criminal charges were filed. The Officer Involved Shooting was determined to be within policy.

https://cpraazlrshotprod1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/cpraprod1/Mediazip/OIS/OIS.19-032109.zip