SANTA ANA, Ca. (Sep. 1, 2022): September is Pedestrian Safety Month, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department will participate in activities throughout the month encouraging the safety of people walking.

Based on data projections from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), 7,485 people, or an average of 20 people every day, died after being struck by a vehicle last year – an 11.5% increase from 2020 and a 40-year high.

“People should not feel in danger walking,” Sergeant John Hopkins said. “Drivers, please slow down and be aware of people who are walking. If we all look out for one another, we can all get where we need to go safely.”

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department offers safe driving and walking tips, including staying off the phone when behind the wheel or walking:

Drivers

• Do not speed, and slow down at intersections. Be prepared to stop for pedestrians at marked and unmarked crosswalks.
• Avoid blocking crosswalks while waiting to make a right-hand turn.
• Never drive impaired.

Pedestrians

• Be predictable. Use signalized crosswalks where drivers may anticipate foot traffic.
• Watch for approaching vehicles and practice due care crossing the street. At 30 mph, a driver needs at least 90 feet to stop.
• Make it easier for drivers to see you at night – wear light colors, reflective material and use a flashlight.
• Be careful crossing streets or entering crosswalks at night or on busier streets with higher speed limits.

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  

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SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Ca. (Aug. 26, 2022): The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on Friday, Aug. 26, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at an undisclosed location in the city of San Juan Capistrano.  

DUI Checkpoints are placed in locations based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests. Deputies will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, with deputies checking drivers for proper licensing.

The Sheriff’s Department reminds drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.

In 2019, 1,066 people were killed in alcohol-involved crashes on California roads.

The Sheriff’s Department offers these reminders to ensure you have a safe night of fun that doesn’t involve a DUI:

• Always use a designated sober driver – a friend who is not drinking, ride-share, cab or public transportation – to get home.
• See someone who is clearly impaired try and drive? Take the keys and help them make other arrangements to find a sober way home.
• Report drunk drivers – Call 911.
• Hosting a party? Offer nonalcoholic drinks. Monitor who are drinking and how they are getting home.

Getting home safely is cheap, but getting a DUI is not. Drivers caught driving impaired and charged with DUI can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to be upwards of $13,500. This includes fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspension and other expenses, not to mention possible jail time.

Funding for this checkpoint is provided to the Sheriff’s Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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ORANGE, Ca. (Aug. 12, 2022): Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy Arcadio Rodriguez, 30, has been arrested and is pending termination from employment for suspected sexual assault on multiple female inmates at the Theo Lacy Facility.

The Department became aware on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, when jail staff intercepted communication that described the misconduct. An investigation started immediately and the deputy was placed on administrative leave on Aug. 9.

Rodriguez is suspected of establishing an inappropriate relationship with two female inmates at the Theo Lacy Facility. He is alleged to have sexually assaulted the female inmates separately on multiple occasions by touching them in a sexual manner over their clothes and showing them pornographic videos while in their housing locations. The assaults are suspected to have taken place starting in May 2022.

He was booked into Santa Ana Jail today on felony sexual activity between a peace officer and inmate in a jail facility, and misdemeanor charges of assault under the color of authority and possession of a cell phone in a custody facility.

“The suspected criminal actions of this deputy are inexcusable, especially for a person who swore to serve and protect our community,” said Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes. “One of our most important duties is to provide for the care and wellbeing of the people in our jails. Any betrayal of that responsibility is not indicative of the environment in our jails, or reflective of the hard work of hundreds of deputies and professional staff in custody operations every day.

“I want our community to know how seriously I take these allegations and that I will hold accountable any deputy who chooses to be disloyal to their responsibilities as a peace officer through a swift process.

“I have notified the Office of Independent Review and provided them access to monitor and review this investigation to ensure objectivity and thoroughness.”

The case will be forwarded to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

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San Juan Capistrano, Ca. (August 24, 2022): As friends and family plan vacations during the final days of summer, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department is reminding everyone to stay safe by always choosing a sober way to go.

No matter how you choose to celebrate the end of summer and Labor Day weekend, make sure you do so responsibly. Take the necessary precautions to protect yourself and your family by buckling up, ditching the distractions, following the speed limit, and never driving impaired.

To help keep our community safe during the busy late summer and Labor Day weekend travel season, the OC Sheriff will have additional officers on patrol Aug. 18 through Labor Day (Sept. 6) looking for drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. The increased efforts to address impaired driving are part of a national enforcement campaign, Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will hold a DUI Checkpoint Friday, August 26, 2022, from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. in the City of San Juan Capistrano.

“Driving impaired is risky and puts yourself and others around you in serious danger,” Sergeant John Hopkins said. “If you are taking a road trip over the next few weeks, make good choices and drive like your closest friends and family are in the cars around you.”

In 2020, 1,159 people were killed throughout the state in drunk driving-related crashes, which accounted for 30 percent of all traffic deaths.

Driving while impaired is not just from alcohol. Prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and marijuana may also impair. If you plan on drinking or taking medications with a driving warning label, let someone who is sober drive. If you see someone driving impaired, call 9-1-1.

Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

SAN CLEMENTE, Ca. (July 28, 2022): The Orange County Sheriff’s Department will be conducting a DUI/Driver’s License Checkpoint on Friday, July 29, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at an undisclosed location in the city of San Clemente.

DUI Checkpoints are placed in locations based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests. Deputies will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, with deputies checking drivers for proper licensing.

The Sheriff’s Department reminds drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.

In 2019, 1,066 people were killed in alcohol-involved crashes on California roads.

The Sheriff’s Department offers these reminders to ensure you have a safe night of fun that doesn’t involve a DUI:

• Always use a designated sober driver – a friend who is not drinking, ride-share, cab or public transportation – to get home.
• See someone who is clearly impaired try and drive? Take the keys and help them make other arrangements to find a sober way home.
• Report drunk drivers – Call 911.
• Hosting a party? Offer nonalcoholic drinks. Monitor who are drinking and how they are getting home.

Getting home safely is cheap, but getting a DUI is not. Drivers caught driving impaired and charged with DUI can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to be upwards of $13,500. This includes fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspension and other expenses, not to mention possible jail time.

Funding for this checkpoint is provided to the Sheriff’s Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. (July 27, 2022): Investigators with the Orange County Sheriff’s Major Accident Reconstruction Team have arrested a man suspected of hitting a woman with his vehicle, causing serious injury, and fleeing the scene.

On Saturday July 9, 2022, at 1:30 a.m., deputies were dispatched to the intersection of Crown Valley Parkway and Golden Lantern in Laguna Niguel reference a traffic collision. Upon arrival, deputies found a 26-year-old woman in the roadway suffering from traumatic injuries. The female was crossing Crown Valley Parkway outside of a crosswalk and was struck by a vehicle that was heading westbound on Crown Valley at a high rate of speed. The vehicle fled the scene after hitting the victim. The woman was transported to the hospital where she was treated for serious injuries, but she is expected to survive.

Evidence from the vehicle that fled was located at the scene. Deputies determined that the vehicle involved was a dark-colored 2014-2018 Subaru. Using local Flock cameras, deputies identified a Subaru Forester that matched the description in the area shortly after the incident and attempted to contact the registered owner. It was later determined that the registered owner, Phillip Roebuck. 51, Laguna Niguel, fled California to a residence in Henderson, Nevada shortly after the hit-and-run.

After a thorough investigation, the Subaru Forester involved in the hit-and-run collision was located in the state of Nevada. Roebuck was arrested for felony hit-and-run in Newport Beach on July 26. The investigation into this incident is ongoing.

YORBA LINDA, Ca. (July 19, 2022) – Four deputies were injured when they were struck in a chain-reaction collision while making an arrest near Casa Loma Avenue and Imperial Highway in Yorba Linda. 

At approximately 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 19, a driver traveling southbound on Imperial Highway crashed into multiple patrol units, causing one Sheriff’s Department unit to strike four deputies. At the time of the collision, the deputies were conducting an arrest of a man suspected of a misdemeanor offense.   

The deputies suffered minor to moderate injuries and were taken to local hospitals for treatment. The arrest suspect, who was detained in the back of one of the patrol vehicles at the time of the collision, also suffered minor injuries and was taken to the hospital for treatment. 

The driver was detained at the scene and arrested by California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers on suspicion of driving under the influence. The CHP is handling the collision investigation, which is ongoing.  

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Ca. (July 9, 2022): This morning just after 1:30 a.m., a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on Crown Valley Parkway between Golden Lantern and Nueva Vista. The pedestrian, a 24-year-old woman, sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital where she is in critical condition. The involved vehicle did not stop and fled the scene. 

The Orange County Sheriff’s Major Accident Reconstruction Team responded to investigate.  Evidence at the scene indicates the hit-and-run vehicle may be a dark colored 2014-2018 Subaru Forester. The vehicle sustained damage to the front right and side view mirror. After the collision, the vehicle is believed to have fled westbound on Crown Valley Parkway toward Pacific Coast Highway.

Investigators are asking anyone with information about the incident or a possible involved vehicle to come forward. Please call OC Sheriff’s Dispatch at 714-647-7000 or anonymous tips can be provided to OC Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS (1-855-847-6227).

SAN CLEMENTE, CA. (August 12, 2022): On Sunday, August 14, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department will have deputies in the City of San Clemente educating the public on how to monitor their alcohol intake and “Know Your Limit.”

The “Know Your Limit” program is intended to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving, and how little it takes to reach the legal limit to drive a vehicle. It is illegal for anyone 21 or older to drive with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08% or higher.

The “Know Your Limit” campaign will be from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Del Mar Festival in the City of San Clemente.

During this time, deputies will ask patrons how many drinks they have consumed and whether they believe it is safe to drive. Deputies will then invite volunteers to take a breathalyzer test to see if they are able to guess their blood alcohol content (BAC). Deputies will provide information on the impacts of alcohol on one’s ability to drive, and the consequences of a DUI.

“The goal is to help people understand the effects of alcohol so they can make smart decisions about how they get home,” Sergeant John Hopkins said. “It only takes a single drink to impair, and that’s why it is important people know their limit.”

A person’s height, weight, food intake, drug and/or medication use and how much they drink over a time period are all factors that affect their BAC. According to the California Driver Handbook, it takes two drinks consumed within one hour by a woman between 120-160 pounds and three drinks by a man between 180-220 pounds to be over the legal limit. One drink is based on 1.5 oz. of liquor (40% alcohol), 12 oz. of beer (4.5% alcohol) or a 5 oz. glass of wine (12% alcohol). The BAC lowers at a rate of .01% for every 40 minutes between drinks.

The average cost of a first-time DUI offense is approximately $13,500, accounting for vehicle impound fees, fines, attorney fees, auto insurance hikes and other penalties. Plan ahead and avoid the risk of a DUI by designating a sober driver.

Funding for the “Know Your Limit” program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

COSTA MESA, CA. (August 8, 2022): On Wednesday, August 10, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department will have deputies at the Orange County Fair educating the public on how to monitor their alcohol intake and “Know Your Limit.”

The “Know Your Limit” program is intended to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving, and how little it takes to reach the legal limit to drive a vehicle. It is illegal for anyone 21 or older to drive with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08% or higher.

The “Know Your Limit” campaign will be from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Orange County Fair in the City of Costa Mesa.

During this time, deputies will ask patrons how many drinks they have consumed and whether they believe it is safe to drive. Deputies will then invite volunteers to take a breathalyzer test to see if they are able to guess their blood alcohol content (BAC). Deputies will provide information on the impacts of alcohol on one’s ability to drive, and the consequences of a DUI.

“The goal is to help people understand the effects of alcohol so they can make smart decisions about how they get home,” Sergeant John Hopkins said. “It only takes a single drink to impair, and that’s why it is important people know their limit.”

A person’s height, weight, food intake, drug and/or medication use and how much they drink over a time period are all factors that affect their BAC. According to the California Driver Handbook, it takes two drinks consumed within one hour by a woman between 120-160 pounds and three drinks by a man between 180-220 pounds to be over the legal limit. One drink is based on 1.5 oz. of liquor (40% alcohol), 12 oz. of beer (4.5% alcohol) or a 5 oz. glass of wine (12% alcohol). The BAC lowers at a rate of .01% for every 40 minutes between drinks.

The average cost of a first-time DUI offense is approximately $13,500, accounting for vehicle impound fees, fines, attorney fees, auto insurance hikes and other penalties. Plan ahead and avoid the risk of a DUI by designating a sober driver.

Funding for the “Know Your Limit” program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.