Halloween Roving DUI Saturation Patrols Scheduled for Costa Mesa, Cypress, Garden Grove, Irvine, La Palma & South Orange County Cities

According to an October 28, 2010 Orange County Sheriff’s Department Press Release, Roving DUI Saturation Patrols are scheduled for Costa Mesa, Cypress, Garden Grove, Irvine, La Palma and the South Orange County Cities this upcoming Halloween weekend.  The South Orange County Cities will likely include: Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, Mission Viejo, San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente.  According to the Press Release, the DUI Patrols will be working Friday, October 29, 2010 through Sunday, October 31, 2010 in the aforementioned cities.

As the authors of the Press Release indicate: Drivers Should Be Aware: Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving, so be careful out there when celebrating Halloween.

**** PRESS RELEASE ****

CALIFORNIA JUDGE RULES THAT NEW IID-RESTRICTED
LICENSE ELIGIBILITY LAW INCLUDES DUI OFFENDERS WITH
VIOLATION DATES EARLIER THAN JULY 1, 2010 

DMV CONTENDED THAT ELIGIBILITY WAS LIMITED TO DRIVERS WITH VIOLATION DATES SUBSEQUENT TO ENACTMENT DATE 

Mann County Superior Court Judge Verna A. Adams ruled in favor of a California man seeking the reinstatement of his driver’s license following a second offense DUI conviction under law that went into effect on July 1, 2010. 

40-year-old Dominique Niki Matteo was convicted of a second offense DUI on July 15, 2010, following his arrest on February 23, 2010. After having served 90 days of a license suspension, Matteo sought the reinstatement of his license subject to his installing an ignition-interlock device (IID) in his vehicle. The IID prevents the operation of a vehicle if the driver has been drinking.

The DMV rejected Matteo’s application for an IID-restricted license, contending that the new law does not apply to offenders with violation dates earlier than July 1, 2010. Finding that the legislative intent of the new law was to encourage all multiple offenders to install an IID in their car, Judge Adams ordered the DMV to grant Matteo an IID ­restricted license. 

The new law (Senate Bill 598) amends California Vehicle Code section 13352, making most second-time offenders eligible for an IID-restricted license after 90 days of suspension and most third time offenders eligible after 180 days. Those persons refusing a chemical test and individuals found to be impaired by drugs are ineligible.

Comments by Matteo’s attorney, Paul Burglin, which were echoed by his co-author, Barry T. Simons—the Co-Author of “California Drunk Driving Law”: The California Legislature has studied the drunk driving problem and concluded that public safety is enhanced by encouraging multiple offenders to install an IID in their vehicles. Too often these individuals will simply transfer a car out of their name to avoid a court-ordered IID, but by providing an incentive to legally drive they are more inclined to actually install the device. This new law is not about being soft or sympathetic to drunk drivers—it is about implementing a new tool to combat this epidemic.