Sobriety/License Checkpoint in Novato Nets 1 DUI Arrest

A sobriety and driver’s license checkpoint set up Friday night by yielded one arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to Saturday press release.

Officers and other personnel screened 815 vehicles over six hours on Ignacio Boulevard at Palmer Drive, and 12 people were cited for driving without a license. Three people were found with suspended licenses.

Twenty-two people were given field sobriety tests and one person failed. Fifteen vehicles were towed and three citations were given out for moving violations.

Sgt. Oliver Collins said the three checkpoints this year have netted four DUI arrests.

The checkpoint was funded by a grant from the UC Berkeley Safe TREC program. Novato police said the goal of the checkpoints is to reduce the number of victims killed and injured in alcohol-involved crashes.

If anyone suspects a drunken driver on the road, that person is urged to call 911 to help law enforcement identify impaired drivers before they injury themselves or others.

For one Novato Patch blogger's viewpoint on why these checkpoints are important, click here. For a message about drunken driving from the father of a child killed by an impaired motorcyclist, click .