St. Patrick's Day Weekend Means DUI Crackdown In L.A. County

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You think you have the luck of the Irish? Don't test it.

The AAA of Southern California this week said the new, higher cost of a first-time DUI offense is $15,649, up from earlier estimates of $10,000.

The LAPD, the L.A. Sheriff's Department and other agencies are gearing up for the weekend. They promise drunk-driver "saturation patrols," checkpoints and more:

While the LAPD often sends locations of its checkpoints to the media, this time around it's being coy. All that the department will state is that you should expect "saturation patrols to increase the motoring safety of our residents and those who visit our city."

Fair enough.

Same thing for the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, which states, "police, Sheriff, and CHP throughout Los Angeles County will be on high alert" and that it "will be deploying special roving DUI patrols and checkpoints this St. Patrick's Day weekend."

Pasadena police plan a "zero tolerance" DUI saturation patrol from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. Saturday in their fair city.

Long Beach police say they'll be out in force on Sunday, St. Patrick's Day, with saturation patrols from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.

That's all we know. Stay safe, even if you're wearing green.

[Update at 1:40 p.m.]: The LAPD has revealed the following locations for its St. Patrick's Day weekend checkpoints and saturation patrols:

Tonight:

-Sobriety Checkpoint from 8 P.M. to 2 A.M. on Santa Monica Boulevard at Carmelina Avenue in West Los Angeles Area.

-Sobriety Checkpoint from 8 P.M. to 2 A.M. on Victory Boulevard at Bellingham Avenue in North Hollywood Area.

-Sobriety Checkpoint from 8 P.M. to 2 A.M. on Florence Avenue and Broadway in Newton Area.

-Sobriety Checkpoint from 8 P.M. to 2 A.M. on Highland Avenue and De Longpre Avenue in Hollywood Area.

Saturday:

-Sobriety Checkpoint from 6 P.M. to 12 A.M. on Imperial Highway and Main Street in Southeast Area.

-Sobriety Checkpoint from 8 P.M. to 2 A.M. on Van Nuys Boulevard and Amboy Avenue in Foothill Area.

Sunday:

-DUI Saturation Patrol from 2 to 10 P.M. in Hollenbeck and Newton Area.

-DUI Saturation Patrol from 5 P.M. to 1 A.M. in North Hollywood Area.

-DUI Saturation Patrol from 5 P.M. to 1 A.M. in 77th Street Area.

-DUI Saturation Patrol from 7 P.M. to 3 A.M. in Hollywood Area.

Follow Mr. Checkpoint on Twitter for even more up-to-date info.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]