Lake Elsinore Police report on Saturday, October 17th, 2015 about 2:11 AM, officers from the Lake Elsinore Police Department located a single-vehicle traffic collision at Lakeshore Drive, east of Cowell Street in Lake Elsinore.
The investigation determined the driver, Daniel Fritch, age 46 of Lake Elsinore, was driving along Lakeshore Drive, when he lost control of his vehicle. His vehicle struck a guard rail, rolled down an embankment and came to rest on its wheels. Fritch and a female adult passenger were transported to a local hospital where they were being treated for apparent non-life-threatening injuries. It was determined intoxication may have been a factor in this collision. Fritch was released at the hospital and the investigation is ongoing.
The Lake Elsinore Police Department encourages all drivers not to drink and drive. To report drunk drivers, please call 911. Anyone with any information about this incident is urged to contact Officer Roberge with the Lake Elsinore Police Department at (951) 245-3300, or after hours at (951) 776-1099.
On Saturday, October 17, 2015 at 2:05 A.M. the Coachella Police Department responded to the area of Avenue 50 and Calhoun St. reference a single vehicle traffic collision. The vehicle was traveling eastbound Avenue 50 and ran off the roadway east of Calhoun St. The driver, Kimberly Velez Beltran (age 19 of Coachella), was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol/ and or drugs and driving without a license. Beltran was treated at a local hospital for moderate injuries and charges will be filed for DUI and unlicensed driver.
The Coachella Police Department encourages all drivers not to drink and drive. To report drunk drivers, please call 911. Anyone with any information about this incident is urged to contact the Coachella Police Department at (760) 863-8990, or they can call anonymously at (760) 341-STOP (7867).
On Friday, October 16, 2015, officers from the Rancho Mirage Police Department responded to a report of a single vehicle traffic collision on Dinah Shore Drive east of Da Vall Drive, Rancho Mirage. The driver of the vehicle, Louie Gurusco, 53, from Cathedral City, failed to maintain a straight course of travel and collided into a block wall north of the roadway. A DUI investigation was conducted and Gurusco was arrested for suspicion of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Gurusco was booked into the county jail in Indio after he was treated and released from a local hospital.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department encourages the motoring public to not drive a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department encourages anyone with information about this traffic collision to contact the Rancho Mirage Police Department at 760-836-1600, or Crime Stoppers at 760-341-STOP (7867).
On Wednesday, October 14, 2015, at 11:57 P.M., the Palm Desert Police Department responded to the 40200 block of Harris Lane in Palm Desert to investigate a hit and run traffic collision. Investigation revealed a black Ford Explorer entered the parking lot and collided into an unoccupied parked vehicle at the location. The driver of the Ford Explorer failed to stop and left the scene.
A witness obtained a vehicle description and license plate of the Ford Explorer. Officers located the vehicle in the immediate area and conducted an enforcement stop. The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was identified as Kennie Smith Jr., 24 of La Quinta. Smith was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol/and or drugs and hit and run. Smith was taken to a local area hospital as a precaution before he was booked at the county jail in Indio. There were no injuries as a result of this incident.
The Palm Desert Police Department encourages all drivers not to drink and drive. To report drunk drivers, please call 911. Anyone with any information about this incident is urged to contact the Palm Desert Police Department at (760) 836-1600, or they can call anonymously at (760) 341-STOP (7867).
Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage Police Departments Reminds Halloween Partiers Against Drinking and Driving
Palm Desert/Rancho Mirage CA – This Halloween, the Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage Police Departments are reminding Halloween partiers that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. If your Halloween party involves alcohol then you have to make a plan to get home without getting behind the wheel.
“If you want to stay safe this Halloween then make a plan to get home without driving if you’ve been drinking,” said Sergeant Sherman of the Palm Desert Police Department. “Even one drink impairs judgment, so plan to get home by taxi, ride share, mass transit, or designate a sober driver. Buzzed driving is drunk driving, so think ahead to stay safe.”
Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage PD are deploying extra DUI officers Halloween weekend to supplement routine patrol officers on one of the most deadly nights of the years. Officers will be looking for the tell-tale signs of alcohol and or drug impairment during each enforcement contact all weekend long, as many will be attending parties where alcohol is served.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 43 percent of all people killed in motor vehicle crashes on Halloween night (6 p.m. October 31st – 5:59 a.m. November 1st) from 2009 to 2013 were in crashes involving a drunk driver. On Halloween night alone 119 people lost their lives over that same period. Children out trick-or-treating and the parents accompanying them are also at risk, as 19 percent of fatal pedestrian crashes on Halloween night (2009-2013) involved drunk drivers.
It is illegal everywhere in America to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. In 2013, 10,076 people were killed in drunk driving crashes with 867 of those in California alone, along with 23,000 others seriously injured. Even if you drive drunk and aren’t killed or seriously injured you could end up paying as much $10,000 for a DUI.
Recent statistics reveal that 30 percent of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more drugs in their systems. A study of active drivers showed more tested positive for drugs that may impair driving (14 percent) than did for alcohol (7.3 percent). Of the drugs, marijuana was most prevalent at 7.4 percent, slightly more than alcohol. Everyone should be mindful that if you’re taking medication – whether prescription or over-the-counter – drinking even small amounts of alcohol can greatly intensify the impairment affects.
Law Enforcement emphasizes the preventable nature of drunk driving, reminding everyone that all it takes is a little planning ahead. Designate a sober driver or call a cab. But whatever you do, don’t drink and drive. The California Office of Traffic Safety DDVIP (Designated Driver VIP) mobile app. is now available for free download on iOS and Android devices. Launched last year, the new DDVIP app offers enhanced features, allowing users to “Map a Spot” with their current location to find DDVIP partnering establishments in their area or a “List of Spots” to search all participating bars and restaurants throughout California. Users will be offered free incentives at each bar to celebrate their life saving role. They can stay up-to-date with the latest from DDVIP and see what other users are saying via its social tab. Also through the app, for those who want to imbibe but also make it a point to plan ahead, users can easily order a sober ride from Uber, Lyft or Curb – all from one screen.
Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving, so follow these simple tips to stay safe:
- Plan a safe way to get home before you attend the party. Alcohol impairs judgment, as well as reaction time. If you’re drunk you’re more likely to choose to drive drunk.
- Designate a sober driver, take public transportation, a car service, or a call a sober friend or family member to get home.
- Walking while impaired can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. Designate a sober friend to walk you home.
- Use your community’s sober ride program, PGA DUI Foundation (760) 340-1500 9:00 P.M. to 2:00 A.M.
- Report Drunk Drivers – Call 911.
- If you see someone you think is about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them get home safely.
