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From Christmas Eve through the end of Sunday, the California Highway Patrol arrested 1104 people on suspicion of a DUI, according to a state report released today. 251 people, accounting for nearly 23% of those arrests statewide, were in Los Angeles County. Most of the arrests occurred on Saturday and Sunday. Between Christmas Eve and 6 a.m. Saturday morning, only 303 people had been arrested on suspicion of DUI statewide and 68 in Los Angeles County.
22 people were killed statewide with 2 of those fatalities located in Los Angeles County.
Because Christmas Eve fell on a Thursday, the holiday enforcement period was shorter than last year when the holiday weekend began on Wednesday evening. There were 1397 DUI arrests and 37 fatalities (7 in Los Angeles County) in 2008.
The CHP's holiday enforcement period is still not over. As New Year's Eve and the following weekend approaches, more increased patrols are expected. Stay safe out there!
