Saturday DUI Checkpoint Nets One Arrest

A DUI and driver's license checkpoint set up in Long Beach Saturday night netted one arrest and 10 citations, the Long Beach Police Department announced Monday.

The checkpoint, which was stationed along Pacific Coast Highway south of Second Street, operated from 7 p.m. until 3 a.m. Saturday night and Sunday morning.

According to police, 1,096 vehicles passed through the checkpoint with 542 of those vehicles being screened by police for any impairment.

Of those 542 vehicles, one person was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, three people were cited for driving with suspended licenses and seven drivers were issued traffic citations, police said.

Three cars belonging to the individuals who were allegedly driving with suspended licenses were also impounded.

According to police, checkpoints such as the one set up on Saturday are vital in the fight against impaired drivers and those who drive without licenses. The average American has a 30 percent chance of being killed or injured by an impaired driver, police said in a release.

Saturday's checkpoint was made possible by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.