Fortuna Police Dept. Press Release:

The Independence Day Weekend Anti DUI crackdown is reporting DUI arrests from local routine traffic enforcement and special Avoid the 7 DUI deployments in Humboldt County.

From 12:01 AM Wednesday, July 3, 2013 through Midnight, Friday, July 5, 2013, officers representing 7 county law enforcement agencies have arrested 12 individuals for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Last year, the holiday was a two-day campaign period which does not match the 5 day effort this year.

(**NOTE: These numbers are only provisional with some agencies yet to report**)

Last night, the Avoid the 7 Taskforce conducted a DUI Checkpoint in the City of Arcata. During the checkpoint, a total of 836 vehicles were screened resulting in the following:

• Arrest of 6 DUI Drivers
• Arrest of 4 Unlicensed Drivers
• Arrest of 1 Suspended License Driver

DUI arrest data collection will continue through midnight Sunday July 7, 2013. Law enforcement officials are continuing DUI efforts throughout the county and region. Additionally, CHP throughout the state have all available officers patrolling freeways and county roads throughout the weekend for their Maximum Enforcement period (MEP).

Police, Sheriff and the CHP encourage all motorists to help make your community safer: Report Drunk Drivers – Call 911. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Avoid programs, named for the number of police agencies in each county, also will concentrate crackdowns during the 18-Day August/Labor Day period. In recognition that summer season is among the deadliest time of the year, law enforcement agencies throughout the county will be making every effort to arrest drunk drivers before another life is lost.