DUI Arrests Up in Marin County

Marin County's Avoid the 13 DUI enforcement campaign has arrested 27 people for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, seven more than last year between Dec. 16 and 20, a police spokeswoman said.

San Rafael police will have a DUI and drivers license checkpoint this weekend on Grand Avenue at East Francisco Boulevard, spokeswoman Margo Rohrbacher said. The checkpoint might relocate later in the evening to northbound Irwin Street at Fifth Avenue, Rohrbacher said.

Grand Avenue and East Francisco Boulevard are major roads that lead to and from San Rafael's busy downtown, Rohrbacher said. The location was selected because of the area's bars, restaurants and shopping venues.

The Canal neighborhood south of that location also has experienced a high percentage of DUI-involved collisions over the past year, Rohrbacher said.

The California Highway Patrol will have all available officers on the streets between 6 p.m. Friday and midnight Monday, Rohrbacher said. Law enforcements agencies throughout the Bay Area are participating in the 17-day Winter Holiday campaign.

Motorists may report drunk drivers by calling 911.

DUI statistics will be collected through midnight Jan. 1.     

— Bay City News Service