SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Ca. (JULY 21, 2021): The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will have extra deputies out on patrol Saturday, July 24, in the city of San Juan Capistrano looking for violations made by drivers and motorcyclists that increase the risk of crashes.

With nearly 900,000 registered motorcycles in the state, many roads users are going places without the same protections as drivers.  Motorcycle riders are 28 times more likely to die in a crash than vehicle occupants. 

To help protect you and your family, keep the following tips in mind while driving or riding:

Drivers:

•           Always check twice for motorcycles in your mirrors and blind spots

•           Use your signal when changing lanes

•           Never follow a motorcycle too closely. Always keep a safe distance

•           When at an intersection, allow enough space before turning

Motorcyclist:

•           Always wear a DOT compliant helmet and protective gear like gloves and leather clothing

•           Consider adding reflective tape to your clothing to make it easier for other drivers to see you

•           Keep your lights on at all times, even during the day

•           Don’t assume drivers see you: signal well in advance before changing lanes and watch for turning vehicles

•           Although lane splitting is legal, the practice is not encouraged at high speeds in free-flowing traffic, or between large vehicles like big rigs and motor homes

All motorcycle riders, regardless of skill level, are encouraged to enroll in the California Motorcyclist Safety Program. Information and training locations are available at http://www.californiamotorcyclist.com/ or by calling 1-877 RIDE-411 (1-877-743-3411).Funding for motorcycle safety enforcement operations are provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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

On Friday, July 23, 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.

Dana Point, Ca. (August 24, 2021) – The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on Friday, August 27, from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. at an undisclosed location in the city of Dana Point.

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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COSTA MESA, Ca. (July 20, 2021): On Friday, July 23, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department will have deputies at the Orange County Fair educating the public on how to monitor their alcohol intake and “know your limit.”

The “Know Your Limit” program is intended to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving, and how little it takes to reach the legal limit to drive a vehicle. It is illegal for anyone 21 or older to drive with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08% or higher.

The “Know Your Limit” campaign will be from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Orange County Fair in the City of Costa Mesa.

During this time, deputies will ask patrons how many drinks they have consumed and whether they believe it is safe to drive. Deputies will provide information on the impacts of alcohol on one’s ability to drive, and the consequences of a DUI.

“The goal is to help people understand the effects of alcohol so they can make smart decisions about how they get home,” Sergeant Scott Merrill said. “It only takes a single drink to impair, and that’s why it is important people know their limit.”

A person’s height, weight, food intake, drug and/or medication use and how much they drink over a time period are all factors that affect their BAC. According to the California Driver Handbook, it takes two drinks consumed within one hour by a woman between 120-160 pounds and three drinks by a man between 180-220 pounds to be over the legal limit. One drink is based on 1.5 oz. of liquor (40% alcohol), 12 oz. of beer (4.5% alcohol) or a 5 oz. glass of wine (12% alcohol). The BAC lowers at a rate of .01% for every 40 minutes between drinks.

The average cost of a first-time DUI offense is approximately $13,500, accounting for vehicle impound fees, fines, attorney fees, auto insurance hikes and other penalties. Plan ahead and avoid the risk of a DUI by designating a sober driver.

Funding for the “Know Your Limit” program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

SANTA ANA, Ca. (July 12, 2021) –The Orange County Crime Laboratory Division (OC Crime Lab) of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department has been awarded a competitive grant in the amount of $467,700 for Laboratory Automation and Efficiency Improvement from the California Highway Patrol’s Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program.  Through this unique and first-time funding opportunity, the OC Crime Lab will purchase robotic instrumentation for sample preparation and screening.  Funds will also be used for training and validation of the state-of-the-art instrumentation.  All Orange County Law Enforcement will benefit from improved testing capabilities and quicker evidence analysis turn-around times. 

The OC Crime Lab is an established leader in Driving Under the Influence of Drugs (DUID) toxicology forensic testing and expert testimony.  This additional funding source will be utilized to expand our capabilities with the goal of improving roadway safety.

With the passage of Proposition 64, The Control, Regulate, and Tax Adult Use Marijuana Act (AUMA), in 2016 California voters mandated the state set aside funding for the California Highway Patrol to disperse to local governments and qualified nonprofit organizations for the education, prevention, and enforcement of impaired driving laws pursuant to Revenue and Taxation Code Section 34019.  The purpose of the Cannabis Tax Fund Grants Program is to provide alternative funding sources to augment, but not supplant, current activities and programs.

SANTA ANA, Ca. (July 2, 2021) – A 39-year-old male inmate housed at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange died Thursday evening at a local hospital. The death is not believed to be related to the Covid-19 pandemic and the investigation is ongoing.

The inmate was booked into Orange County jail in June 2021 by the Sheriff’s Department on suspicion of cruelty to a child. He was located in his cell unresponsive around 11 a.m. on June 24, 2021 and deputies performed lifesaving measures. He was subsequently transferred to the hospital, where he remained until his death.
Preliminarily, there does not appear to be any suspicious circumstances.

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.

SANTA ANA, Ca. (June 30, 2021): On Wednesday, June 30, at approximately 10:30 a.m., members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Special Victims Detail arrested Paul Alden Miller, 56, of San Clemente, for sexual elder abuse and sexual battery. He is currently in custody at the Orange County Jail with bail set at $100,000.

Miller has been a registered nurse for approximately 6 years.  He was employed at Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo when the sexual assaults occurred.  In March 2021, a 22-year old female reported she was sexually assaulted by Miller while in the emergency room receiving medical care at Providence Mission Hospital.  In April 2021, a 68-year old female reported she was also sexually assaulted by Miller at the same location.  In June 2021, a 56-year old female reported she was sexually assaulted by Miller at Providence Hospital.

Miller was employed at Providence Mission Hospital from January 2017 to April 2021.  He was employed at El Centro Regional Medical Center from January 2016 – January 2017.  Miller also worked at Sharp Hospital – Chula Vista from December 2014 – May 2015.   Investigators feel there may be additional victims and are asking for the public’s help.

Anyone with information regarding possible additional victims or with information they believe may assist in this investigation is asked to contact the Orange County Sheriff’s Department at (714) 647-7419, or submit an anonymous tip to OC Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS (855-847-6227) or at occrimestoppers.org.

SANTA ANA (June 25, 2021) The Orange County Sheriff’s Department has completed a $97,500 grant from the California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) to battle alcohol-related harm.

Funds were used to conduct enforcement efforts focused on establishments that contribute to alcohol-related calls for service including underage drinking, drunken driving, public drunkenness, and assaults.

“This was important to the county in order to increase protection for youth and to hold accountable problem locations that have contributed to alcohol-related crime,” said Orange County Sheriff-Coroner Don Barnes.

The grant was one of nearly 50 awarded in California to local law enforcement agencies through ABC’s Alcohol Policing Partnership Program (APP). The grant program has helped strengthen local law enforcement efforts by combining the resources of local police officers and ABC agents. ABC agents have expertise in alcoholic beverage laws and help communities reduce alcohol-related harm.

“The program improves the quality of life in neighborhoods,” said ABC Director Eric Hirata. “We’ve seen a real difference in the communities where the grant program resources have been invested.”

The APP Program was created in 1995 to build relationships between ABC and local law enforcement agencies. The program is designed to put bad operators out of business, keep alcohol away from minors and bring penalties such as fines, suspensions or revocations against businesses that violate the law.

The funds were used to reduce the number of alcoholic beverage sales to minors, obviously intoxicated patrons, illegal solicitations of alcohol, and other criminal activities such as the sale and possession of illegal drugs.

The APP Program has distributed approximately $50 million to local law enforcement to combat alcohol-related harm.

ABC is a department of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.

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SANTA ANA, Ca. (June 17, 2021) –A 30-year-old male inmate housed at the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange died the evening of June 16, 2021 of unknown causes. 

The inmate, Andrew Curcio of Costa Mesa, was booked into Orange County Jail on June 15, 2021 by the Costa Mesa Police Department for a parole violation. He was located unresponsive in his cell around 8 p.m. on June 16, 2021 and deputies and medical staff attempted lifesaving measures. The inmate was pronounced deceased at the jail by the Orange Fire Department at approximately 8:30 p.m.

Preliminarily, there does not appear to be any suspicious circumstances.

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.  

On May, 13, 2020, deputies were involved in a Use of Force in the unincorporated area of the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park.  The Use of Force was determined to be within policy.

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