FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Lt. Jeff Hallock, (714) 904-7042, Gail Krause, (714) 623-8940
DUI Court Sting Operation
SANTA ANA, California (March 25, 2014) – Three individuals were arrested on Monday, March 24, 2014 during an undercover Court Sting operation at the Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach. Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department targeted suspected DUI drivers whose licenses where suspended and/or revoked, or who were unlicensed drivers.
Deputies staked out offenders who had been told by a judge not to drive and/or who had been previously notified their license was suspended for DUI. Offenders were followed by deputies from courtrooms to their vehicles to ensure that they were not driving. While some offenders complied with the law and had alternate means of transportation, three individuals in court proceeded to get behind the wheel and drive away from the court house.
Those who chose to drive were stopped by waiting deputies in the area. The three individuals were then arrested for driving on a suspended license and their vehicles were impounded for thirty days. All three individuals were cited and released at the scene.
Those arrested could face additional jail time, long driver license suspensions, along with other financial hits including attorney fees, court costs, lost time at work, and the potential loss of a job or job prospects. When family, friends and co-workers find out, violators can also face tremendous personal embarrassment and humiliation.
DUI Court Sting stakeout operations, along with regularly scheduled high-visibility DUI enforcement, serve as a proven deterrent with the goal of keeping impaired drivers from the road and heightening awareness among the public of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
This special DUI operation was funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Police, Sheriff and the CHP encourage all motorists to help make your community safer and report drunk drivers by calling 9-1-1.
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