Crackdown!!!

[CHP 11-99]

Speed sting: CHP issues 162 tickets, impounds 15 vehicles

By Layla Bohm (layla@lodinews.com)
News-Sentinel Staff Writer
Last updated: Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 - 07:26:38 am PST
Comments(33) (http://www.lodinews.com/articles/2007/03/04/news/1_sting_070303.txt#comments) Fifteen extra California Highway Patrol officers and six undercover officers — about double the normal number of officers on patrol — swarmed San Joaquin County's highways Friday, cracking down on speeding and reckless driving.

Between noon and 7 p.m. officers impounded 15 vehicles, arrested one person for driving under the influence and issued 162 citations, two for driving more than 100 mph, said Officer Adrian Quintero.
http://www.lodinews.com/content/articles/2007/03/04/news/1_sting_070303.jpg Officer Adrian Quintero drives down Highway 99 looking for speeding cars, modified vehicles and reckless drivers on Friday in Stockton. (Whitney Ramirez (news@lodinews.com)/News-Sentinel)

The grant-funded operation was held during the hours when many teens get out of school for the weekend and start racing, said Quintero.

"We're pulling everyone over," he said as he turned on his marked car's flashing lights and stopped a white Cadillac that had a tinted windshield.

The operation came three days after a speeding car full of five Tokay High School students lost control on West Lane, killing three of the passengers. A fourth passenger was released from the hospital Thursday and the Lodi driver, 18-year-old Yasir Ahmad, was upgraded from fair to good condition Friday evening at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.

The CHP sting had been planned before the fatal crash, but Quintero said the tragedy demonstrated the consequences of speeding. While officers patrolled on the ground and stopped numerous vehicles Friday, a plane also flew overhead to spot more speeders.

Officers were looking out for cars that have been modified, which is often an indication that the driver participates in speed contests, Quintero said. Under California law, it is illegal to change the fuel rail, injectors and air intake system, among other changes under the car's hood.

If a vehicle is stopped for reckless driving, the driver can be arrested and the vehicle impounded for 30 days. Such towing and storage fees alone generally run more than $1,000, not counting the cost of a ticket and finding another means of transportation for a month.

"We're trying to hit them in the pocket book," Quintero said. "They know if they do it again, it's going to be another $1,500 to $1,800."

Many such drivers are young, and Quintero said officers have even seen teens blocking off the West Lane frontage road near Hammer Lane in Stockton, solely for the purpose of racing.

Joaquin Lopez, 18, who drove his Honda to the CHP office off Highway 99 to take care of a ticket for having illegal car parts, said he's seen friends involved in such races.

"It's fun, but it's dangerous," the Gustine resident said, adding that a friend's cousin was killed last year during a street race on Charter Way.

One week before the sting, a plane was patrolling over Thornton and spotted a group of 12 motorcyclists. They had no idea a plane overhead was videotaping the activity until enough patrol cars could arrive to stop them. As the camera rolled, drivers lined up and then sped off, one using the wrong side of the road.

Eleven of the riders were arrested and all 12 motorcycles were impounded, Quintero said.

Contact reporter Layla Bohm (layla@lodinews.com) at layla@lodinews.com.

Illegal vehicle modifications

More than two dozen common vehicle modifications are illegal and are each a separate violation of California's Vehicle Code. They include:
• Tinted front side windows and windshield
• Body frame that is lower than the lowest point of the wheel rim
• Missing bumpers
• Blue and white headlights
• Turn signals that are not white or yellow in the front and red or yellow in the rear
• Decorative lights, including undercarriage lights
• Lighted license plate frames
• Noisy exhaust systems and mufflers — under new law, officers do not need to use sound meters in order to issue tickets

Source: California Highway Patrol

Tickets issued

Officers issued 162 tickets:
• 2 for traveling 100 mph or more.
• 67 for speeding.
• 11 for seatbelt violations.
• 2 for tailgating.
• 56 for mechanical violations for emissions modifications and window tinting.
• 15 for registration violations.
• 1 for driving on suspended license.
• 8 for other moving violations, including unsafe lane changes and illegally passing.

Officers also asked prosecutors to criminally charge three drivers with reckless driving and one for exhibition of speed.

Source: CHP Officer Adrian Quintero

[HWY Ranger2B]

Good for CHP, these kids have no clue what kind of danger they are to themselves and others on the road.

[retchp]

Great job, but instead of this being a newsworthy event it should be a daily dose of reality to the motoring public all over the state.

The department should be allowed to hire to the population expansion instead of having the same number of officers working the road as it did thirty years ago.

On a non grant funded regular work day it is entirely possible to drive the length of California and only see a few chp officers working a beat doing this basic function of the department which is traffic law enforcement. I've done just that many times.

I know, I know, we have more responsibility now (bridges, buildings, etc). It takes longer to write a report even with computers because of all the extra crap demanded by the legal system etc. But when this type of thing is a newsworthy event then something is wrong. It should be a daily work-a-day routine.

[pupdog]

"It's fun, but it's dangerous," the Gustine resident said, adding that a friend's cousin was killed last year during a street race on Charter Way.


I wonder...don't teens realise what death is? A few years ago at a teenager's funeral (idiot teenage driving related), the kids were all sad, but the adults were the ones crying & torn up. I really wondered if they've seen so much fake death in the media that they just don't understand that it means their friend won't be magically getting out of that box in the ground one day!

[CHPUSMC]

Illegal vehicle modifications

More than two dozen common vehicle modifications are illegal and are each a separate violation of California's Vehicle Code. They include:
• Tinted front side windows and windshield
• Body frame that is lower than the lowest point of the wheel rim
• Missing bumpers
• Blue and white headlights
• Turn signals that are not white or yellow in the front and red or yellow in the rear
• Decorative lights, including undercarriage lights
• Lighted license plate frames
• Noisy exhaust systems and mufflers — under new law, officers do not need to use sound meters in order to issue tickets

Source: California Highway Patrol

Tickets issued

Officers issued 162 tickets:
• 2 for traveling 100 mph or more.
• 67 for speeding.
• 11 for seatbelt violations.
• 2 for tailgating.
• 56 for mechanical violations for emissions modifications and window tinting.
• 15 for registration violations.
• 1 for driving on suspended license.
• 8 for other moving violations, including unsafe lane changes and illegally passing.

Officers also asked prosecutors to criminally charge three drivers with reckless driving and one for exhibition of speed.

Source: CHP Officer Adrian Quintero





Someone with a large amount of time on their hands....tally up the fines!

[WantToBeCHP]

On a non grant funded regular work day it is entirely possible to drive the length of California and only see a few chp officers working a beat doing this basic function of the department which is traffic law enforcement. I've done just that many times.

I used to have an hour drive each way from home to work and back, and it was a regular occurance for me not to see a officer going either way.

After I had my ride-along, I realized how short staffed the CHP is.

[bcjack]

[i]

Someone with a large amount of time on their hands....tally up the fines!

Give me a few hours and I'll see what the damages are...:lol:

[Onthejob]

Speed sting: CHP issues 162 tickets, impounds 15 vehicles

By Layla Bohm (layla@lodinews.com)
News-Sentinel Staff Writer
Last updated: Saturday, Mar 03, 2007 - 07:26:38 am PST
Comments(33) (http://www.lodinews.com/articles/2007/03/04/news/1_sting_070303.txt#comments) Fifteen extra California Highway Patrol officers and six undercover officers — about double the normal number of officers on patrol — swarmed San Joaquin County's highways Friday, cracking down on speeding and reckless driving.

Between noon and 7 p.m. officers impounded 15 vehicles, arrested one person for driving under the influence and issued 162 citations, two for driving more than 100 mph, said Officer Adrian Quintero.
http://www.lodinews.com/content/articles/2007/03/04/news/1_sting_070303.jpg Officer Adrian Quintero drives down Highway 99 looking for speeding cars, modified vehicles and reckless drivers on Friday in Stockton. (Whitney Ramirez (news@lodinews.com)/News-Sentinel)

The grant-funded operation was held during the hours when many teens get out of school for the weekend and start racing, said Quintero.

"We're pulling everyone over," he said as he turned on his marked car's flashing lights and stopped a white Cadillac that had a tinted windshield.

The operation came three days after a speeding car full of five Tokay High School students lost control on West Lane, killing three of the passengers. A fourth passenger was released from the hospital Thursday and the Lodi driver, 18-year-old Yasir Ahmad, was upgraded from fair to good condition Friday evening at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.

The CHP sting had been planned before the fatal crash, but Quintero said the tragedy demonstrated the consequences of speeding. While officers patrolled on the ground and stopped numerous vehicles Friday, a plane also flew overhead to spot more speeders.

Officers were looking out for cars that have been modified, which is often an indication that the driver participates in speed contests, Quintero said. Under California law, it is illegal to change the fuel rail, injectors and air intake system, among other changes under the car's hood.

If a vehicle is stopped for reckless driving, the driver can be arrested and the vehicle impounded for 30 days. Such towing and storage fees alone generally run more than $1,000, not counting the cost of a ticket and finding another means of transportation for a month.

"We're trying to hit them in the pocket book," Quintero said. "They know if they do it again, it's going to be another $1,500 to $1,800."

Many such drivers are young, and Quintero said officers have even seen teens blocking off the West Lane frontage road near Hammer Lane in Stockton, solely for the purpose of racing.

Joaquin Lopez, 18, who drove his Honda to the CHP office off Highway 99 to take care of a ticket for having illegal car parts, said he's seen friends involved in such races.

"It's fun, but it's dangerous," the Gustine resident said, adding that a friend's cousin was killed last year during a street race on Charter Way.

One week before the sting, a plane was patrolling over Thornton and spotted a group of 12 motorcyclists. They had no idea a plane overhead was videotaping the activity until enough patrol cars could arrive to stop them. As the camera rolled, drivers lined up and then sped off, one using the wrong side of the road.

Eleven of the riders were arrested and all 12 motorcycles were impounded, Quintero said.

Contact reporter Layla Bohm (layla@lodinews.com) at layla@lodinews.com.

Illegal vehicle modifications

More than two dozen common vehicle modifications are illegal and are each a separate violation of California's Vehicle Code. They include:
• Tinted front side windows and windshield
• Body frame that is lower than the lowest point of the wheel rim
• Missing bumpers
• Blue and white headlights
• Turn signals that are not white or yellow in the front and red or yellow in the rear
• Decorative lights, including undercarriage lights
• Lighted license plate frames
• Noisy exhaust systems and mufflers — under new law, officers do not need to use sound meters in order to issue tickets

Source: California Highway Patrol

Tickets issued

Officers issued 162 tickets:
• 2 for traveling 100 mph or more.
• 67 for speeding.
• 11 for seatbelt violations.
• 2 for tailgating.
• 56 for mechanical violations for emissions modifications and window tinting.
• 15 for registration violations.
• 1 for driving on suspended license.
• 8 for other moving violations, including unsafe lane changes and illegally passing.

Officers also asked prosecutors to criminally charge three drivers with reckless driving and one for exhibition of speed.

Source: CHP Officer Adrian Quintero




Officer Quintero was my platoon Sgt in 1997. I saw him on the news a couple of months ago and recognized him immediately.

[bcjack]

Here we go..........

22348 (over 100).......................$760
22349 (exceeding speed limit)......$380
22350 (Unsafe speed).................$266 (less than 26 over the limit)
22350 (Unsafe speed).................$380 (26 mph or more over the limit)
27315(d) (Seat belt)...................$76
21703 (Tailgating)......................$252
27156 (Emissions) .....................$380
26708 (Window tint)...................$108
4000 (a) (Registration)................$190
14601 (Suspended Lic)................$570 (infraction) $1140 (Misd non DUI) $1900 (Misd DUI)
22107 (Lane change)..................$146
21750 (Unsafe passing)...............$252

Fines shown are per violation and do not include any local penalty assessments

:hitwall:

[Chippysgt]

Er, I am going out on a limb since it has been 13 years since I opened a pinch book but I think unsafe lane change is 21658(a)....................

in any event it looks like they had a good day of hunting~~~~

:cool:

[PapaBear]

Er, I am going out on a limb since it has been 13 years since I opened a pinch book but I think unsafe lane change is 21658(a)....................

in any event it looks like they had a good day of hunting~~~~

:cool:

22107 VC is an unsafe turning movement

Turning Movements and Required Signals

22107. No person shall turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving of an appropriate signal in the manner provided in this chapter in the event any other vehicle may be affected by the movement.


21658(a) VC is failure to drive within a single lane

Laned Roadways

21658. Whenever any roadway has been divided into two or more clearly marked lanes for traffic in one direction, the following rules apply:
(a) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practical entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from the lane until such movement can be made with reasonable safety.
(b) Official signs may be erected directing slow-moving traffic to use a designated lane or allocating specified lanes to traffic moving in the same direction, and drivers of vehicles shall obey the directions of the traffic device.

Amended Ch. 450, Stats. 1975. Effective January 1, 1976.

And, it has been fifteen years since I retired. Of course, old motor cops would remember what the car cops can't!!! :badgrin: Actually, both sections are used. It depends upon the Court venue and their likes and dislikes. I like to use 21658(a) for motorcycles splitting traffic when they scare the hell out everyone. 22107 is great for the guy in commute traffic that cuts everyone off.

[bcjack]

22107...........................$146
21658(a).......................$146

:noidea:

[jeremyscreek]

It's hard for us to expect these kids to understand the dangers of the road. It is also difficult to expect them to accept responsibility for their actions on the roadway. Their parents drive anyway they feel like driving and get away with it so why shouldn't they? I can't count how many times I've had adults yell and cus at me with their children in the vehicle. Or how many times I caught them red handed yet they will sit their and lie with their kids listening to it.

Children learn from their examples. Talk to any oldtimer and they can tell you stories about arresting 2 or 3 generations of a family. It's nice to think that by going out and writing a lot of tickets and making lots of arrests, that we are making a big difference. At some level we surely are.

Some people will take the ticket as a wake up call or a reminder. They will pay the ticket, go to traffic school, and slow down or be more careful. Too many others will mutherF*** us, go into court, and not even get a slap on the wrist. With the way some of the courts I've been in, its no wonder we have such aggressive and dangerous drivers. The court will not hold many people accountable.

Lately, I've been seeing a traffic commissioner throw out very solid speeding citation of 15 mph plus over the speed limit. She has even done this at arraignment without even hearing anything from the officer. They come in and say that they had transmission work done on their vehicle and that the mechanic forgot to reconnect the speedometer. Bam, judge offers them a 1 year conditional probation. As long as they don't get another moving violation for a year, they don't pay any fine and the citation is dismissed.

I don't mean to sound too disgruntled. I go out their everyday and work hard regardless of what happens in the courts. But if we, as society and citizens of this state, want to truly see some change for the better, then we need to demand more from our judicial system. Really, whats the point of driving 65 when I can drive 80+ and get away with it when I fight it in court. Not to mention the chances of being caught are low since agencies are so short staffed. Just imagine how many times somebody speeds before they are actually caught. Law enforcement can go out and catch everbody, butt if the courts let them get away with it then nobody will learn or be held accountable.

[dlg2k6]

jeremyscreek-

Very well said. I don't have any experience with the way the courts handle things but I very much agree with you on so many parents setting bad examples. Too many parents today talk and act in ways that are very inappropriate in front of their children. They set horrendous examples for them and then when their very young children copy and mimick them, they think its funny or cute. Later as their children get older, they wonder why they are getting calls from their school every day. And even the children whose parents who do set good examples run into problems, the parents make excuses for them instead of making them take responsibility for their actions so that they learn from their mistakes.

Just in the past week, I heard a 3yr old cuss out his mother for not giving him candy (who I might add, uses the same language) and what did she do? She gave him the candy without saying/doing anything about what the child was saying to her. I was thoroughly disgusted!

I apologize for getting off topic here......

[SB 405]

I grew up in an era where cussing at one of my parents ment getting a little pepper ass . Ya know It only took once for me to figure out that may not be the best way to communicate.:lol:

[Mac]

I grew up in an era where cussing at one of my parents ment getting a little pepper ass...
That AND a bar of soap in the mouth for me...but of course that was back in the days when parents were actually ALLOWED to discipline their children...

[bcjack]

That AND a bar of soap in the mouth for me...but of course that was back in the days when parents were actually ALLOWED to discipline their children...
I grew up in an era where cussing at one of my parents ment getting a little pepper ass . Ya know It only took once for me to figure out that may not be the best way to communicate.:lol:

Don't forget the occasional backhand:tape:

Worked great on me:tape:

[SB 405]

I grew up in an era where cussing at one of my parents ment getting a little pepper ass . Ya know It only took once for me to figure out that may not be the best way to communicate.:lol:

Don't forget the occasional backhand:tape:

Worked great on me:tape:

Soap in the mouth was my older sisters official job. Both my parents worked so she never let me forget who the boss was after school until my parents got home.

[dlg2k6]

Soap in the mouth was my older sisters official job. Both my parents worked so she never let me forget who the boss was after school until my parents got home.

hahah..I can relate to that -- only I was the older sister in our situation. :biggrin: