CHP

It’s no double rainbow but double Hollywood signs has to be some kind of good luck, right? After a West Valley motorcycle pursuit ended in Hollywood, one of our officers realized that the stars (Hollywood pun) had aligned for this shot. : Officer Marquez

Fake passenger to avoid a carpool ticket? Or Disneyland animatronic just trying to assimilate to normal life outside the park? Should we ticket for violation or give a warning based purely on ingenuity? Too good not to share from CHP - Baldwin Park

We missed National Love Your Pet Day over the weekend, but since we love our pets erryday, here’s our little motor puppy in training, Maverick! Also, enjoy a few precision edits just for fun!

Over the weekend, a DUI driver crashed into a car on the 101/405 interchange and fled the scene before exiting the freeway at Reseda Blvd where he crashed into another car and you guessed it fled the scene again. The DUI driver then drove wrong way down Oxnard Street and struck a fire hydrant and a power pole before stopping at a red light while being followed by his victims oh yeah and us. Needless to say, CHP West Valley intervened and arrested him for the suspicion of DUI (double the legal limit) and for the hit and runs. Fortunately nobody was hurt. However, that’s not always the case with impaired driving Footage thanks to @bike_105 @ochawk @jnrmedia

Earlier this week, a CHP West Valley motor officer attempted to stop a motorcyclist for speeding, racing and interfering with a traffic stop on the 101 Fwy in Tarzana. The motorcycle was observed speeding in excess of 110 MPH. The motorcyclist failed to yield and a pursuit ensued. With the help of Air 16 (LAPD airship) the motorcyclist was tracked and pursued by CHP West Valley units up the 405 to the 118 and then to the 5 Fwy. The pursuit continued through multiple CHP Area ...jurisdictions at times reaching speeds over 130 MPH. The pursuit suspect finally gave up on the southbound 5 Fwy at Lincoln Avenue in Anaheim. (Maybe he realized that the CHP don’t play and that we regularly coordinate multi-city and multi-county pursuits since we everywhere) Officers from CHP Santa Fe Springs took the rider into custody before handing him back over to CHP West Valley. Rider had an outstanding warrant for reckless driving (shocked face) and vandalism. Rider admitted to interfering with a traffic stop by placing his bike in between the CHP unit and a car being stopped. Why? Because I’m faster and thought I could get away so I blocked the officer. Thanks to OC Hawk and ABC 7 for the footage and LAPD Air Support for the help.

THE SKY IS FALLING! A lucky / unlucky driver (depends on how you look at life) lives to tell the tale of driving up Kanan Rd when a large rock the size of a small boulder crashed through his windshield on top of him. Driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Although this rock landed on this vehicle, most falling rocks land in the roadway. As with any roadway debris, please report it to 911 and always be cautious of potential road hazards ahead.

Stopped this kid for riding a non-street legal dirt-bike on city streets. If you know who this is, come get your boy... In reality, a young man (not McLovin) was stopped for riding this off-road bike with a passenger and had this ID card on him. Do you know what it would take to make an off-road bike street legal?

THE RAIN IS COMING Ok folks, we’re looking at a few days of rain. And that’s LA rain, which is worse than rain everywhere else. LA rain is the man-cold of rains. Let’s all help each other out and COMMENT BELOW with a driving tip on how to survive the LA rain: Go!

Side saddle figure 8’s force a motor to demonstrate proper clutch/throttle use and head/eye placement. They also allow the rider to learn the gray area of the clutch for clutch/throttle control. We joke about motors doing figure 8’s, but they are the basic riding exercise that allows riders to slowly work on skills and techniques. Side saddle also adds dynamic and builds confidence in the rider.

SPOILER ALERT Even Bernie knows what wings are really for... Although this massive wing looks like a good place to hang out and wait for roadside assistance, let’s stay in the car with your seatbelt on if you’re stuck on the freeway shoulder.

TOP 9 for 2020! (and a few more) Here’s a look back at some of our favorite and most talked about pictures from this year. We our Facebook community and look forward to another year with you all! We can’t thank you enough for your support, comments, DM’s and the laughs! Cheers! (And buh-bye 2020 )

Oh, the weather outside is weather... If you thought LA drivers get crazy in the rain, you should see them in the snow! Parts of the valley and canyon areas got a light snowfall today and it was a sight to see! Along with the white stuff came a lot of traffic collisions due to excessive speed. Enjoy the weather but slow your roll! : Officer Kay, Officer BeMiller and Malibu SAR

Even after the worst storms, the sun WILL shine again! We’re heading into 2021 full of HOPE for a healthier and safer year. : Officer Avila

Huge shout out to our new friends Mikey & Will (aka: WoWo to his close friends) who emptied their piggy banks to buy toys for our CHiPs For Kids toy drive this holiday season! So cool to see young kids get excited about helping others! They also told us they want to be police officers when they grow up!

Dear Los Angeles, It’s time for us to have the talk again:

These Santa Ana winds are no joke. A box truck overturned and blocked lanes of the 405 Fwy near Devonshire. Before the truck could be uprighted, our officers had to work together to offload its contents. When driving in windy conditions, remember to look ahead for all kinds of roadway debris (including the usual tumbleweeds, beach umbrellas and overturned big rigs), increase your following distance, keep both hands on the wheel and give big rigs extra space!

You’ve heard of Elf on the Shelf. Now get ready for???

I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING TO ME! That’s a phrase our officers hear time and time again when drivers realize they’re being arrested for DUI (driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs). Pandemic or not, people are still choosing to drink and drive, putting themselves and everyone else on the road at risk. 2020 has been challenging enough. Don’t add to it with a DUI arrest. Mmmkay? : A driver talks to our officer right before getting arrested for driving and crashing her car with a blood alcohol level over 3x the California limit. (Limit is .08% - so you can do that math) Not worth it. Fur real.

WOMAN ARRESTED FOR DUI AFTER ABANDONING VEHICLE AND WALKING IN LANES OF 101 WITH 4 MONTH OLD BABY Just after 1:30 yesterday afternoon we began receiving reports... of a woman holding a baby, walking in lanes of traffic on northbound 101 near the SR-131/East Blithedale exit in Mill Valley. As officer were responding, more horrified callers told dispatchers the woman was in lanes and that vehicles were slowing and swerving to avoid her. One concerned citizen slowed down to try to see if they could help when the woman attempted to force her way into the passenger side of the vehicle. As our officers were rushing to the scene, a Mill Valley Police Department officer nearby heard the call and was able to locate the woman. The officer quickly helped the woman and baby into the car and took them off the freeway to safety where they waited for our units to arrive on scene. When our officers contacted the woman it was clear that she was in an altered state, likely due to being under the influence of a drug. They learned that after her car broke down on the SR-131 on ramp to northbound 101, she decided it would be best to abandon the car, take her baby, and walk on the freeway to get help. After a thorough DUI investigation, officers arrested the mother for driving under the influence of a drug. As the mother was being taken to jail, our officers took over caring for her sweet little girl until Child Protective Services could come to our office to pick her up. A quick call to the awesome labor and delivery staff at MarinHealth set us up with some supplies and some yummy formula to make sure she was well tended to during her stay with us. Officer Sassen quickly switched to off-duty mom mode and made sure the little girl was warm and cozy while Officer Ochoa spent his lunch time feeding himself and the little girl. A big meal and cozy blanket made for perfect napping conditions until CPS arrived to take her somewhere safe. As we do so many times, we have to thank the alert drivers who not only avoided hitting this woman and her baby, but took the time to call 911 to get officers there as soon as possible. It goes without saying that this could have ended so tragically. With such a large area to cover, it can sometimes take us a couple of minutes to get to a call, which in this situation seems like an eternity. Thankfully our partners over at Mill Valley Police were so close when this all went down and were able to get the two to safety before anything bad could happen. As for mom, she was booked into Marin County Jail on charges of DUI and child endangerment.

NOT A REPOST - JUST A FENCE POST: When you’re speeding and driving recklessly down Topanga Canyon Blvd, trying to evade the CHP, and then a house gets in the way... Driver was taken into custody (handcuffed to the officer’s motorcycle as seen) and charged with reckless driving and driving with a suspended license (for prior DUI). The vehicle was impounded for 30 days. Fortunately, nobody was hurt.

HOPE... With 2020 almost over, comment below with something you’re hoping for out of 2021:

DRESS FOR THE CRASH - NOT THE RIDE Rider lost control of his motorcycle on the 405 Fwy, crashed into a guardrail and flew off his bike onto the dirt embankment. Speed was determined to be the primary collision factor. Fortunately for the rider, he was wearing a helmet and only sustained minor injuries. This could have been much worse. Obviously, obtaining your M1, obeying traffic laws and wearing appropriate safety gear are the basics of motorcycling, but what are some other steps riders can take to ensure their safety? Gear upgrades/suggestions? Skill courses? Best ways to ride defensively? CALLING ALL MOTORS!!! What do you think?

CHP’s Toy Drive is POWERED BY MAGIC (that has love in it) Couldn’t have said it better ourselves! Thank you Sebastian for supporting our CHiPs for Kids Toy Drive! And it’s true, CHP officers across California are working hard (and getting creative - thanks to 2020) to make sure kids are having a wonderful Christmas this year! WAYS TO HELP OUR TOY DRIVE: ... 1. Donate $ on Venmo to @Explorer_Post_580 and we will use your money to buy toys. 2. Donate toys at Walgreens (Look for our donation boxes) 3. Text the word TOYS to 76278 4. Buy a toy from our Amazon gift list and the toys will be sent to our office! https://www.amazon.com/registri//1FD8ER4DKT5LH/guest-view

FIRST FEMALE COMMISSIONER OF THE CHP! After 38+ years with the CHP, Commissioner Warren Stanley has announced his retirement (effective Nov 17, 2020). Taking his place will be Deputy Commissioner Amanda Ray! Deputy Commissioner Ray has been a pioneer for women in law enforcement as the first female in the CHP’s 91-year history to hold the position of Commissioner for the nation’s largest state police agency. Congratulations to her! ... 2nd picture is Deputy Commissioner Ray taking a selfie with CHP West Valley officers at the MLK Parade last year!

When the officer you share a patrol car with hands you the keys, says it’s parked, gassed up and ready for you and then walks away quickly... Seriously, what happened here? (Wrong answers only, of course)

That’s not his batting average - that’s his BAC! (Blood Alcohol Concentration) This driver was stopped for weaving in and out of lanes on the 405 Fwy at 40 MPH and eventually arrested for suspicion of DUI. Should have used a DH - we mean DD - to make it home safe. Or even taken the walk to a hotel before getting in his car. Instead, he line-drived it with us straight to the slammer. NOT WORTH IT. The legal limit while driving a vehicle in California is .08% BAC. While many people know the dangers of driving impaired, people still do it - everyday.

The bell ceremony for Officer Andy Ornelas at the CHP Academy goes live at 10am. Click below to watch.

Officers from CHP West Valley were providing outreach in illegal homeless encampments on state property when they happened upon a campsite littered with mechanical parts. Upon further investigation, the officers located and recovered 3 stolen motorcycles in the process of being stripped down. 2 of the 3 motorcycles were stolen within the last 72 hours. While these areas can be filled with people that need help, they can also be havens for criminal activity. CHP will continue to provide outreach for those that need it, and take enforcement when necessary.

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN Today marks the 25th anniversary of the passing of CHP West Valley Officer Bruce Hinman, ID #11820. On September 26th, 1995, Officer Hinman was on routine motorcycle patrol on SR-170 at US-101 when he stopped to assist a disabled motorist. A drunk driver attempted to change routes by driving over a raised berm, then across the freeway and onto the dirt shoulder where he crashed into the disabled vehicle. The impact spun the disabled vehicle around, stri...king the motorist, who was using the freeway call box, and knocking Officer Hinman to the ground. The car came to rest with its rear wheels on top of the officer’s chest, suffocating him. Officer Hinman, 34, was placed on life support but died a week later on October 3rd. He was a nine-year member of the CHP and was assigned to the West Valley Area office directly after graduating from the Academy. Officer Hinman made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty and we are forever grateful for his service. Today we honor his memory. : The CHP West Valley motor squad visited the Bruce T. Hinman Memorial Interchange freeway sign in North Hollywood to pay their respects. : A group of CHP officers joined CHP West Valley Captain Ford, CHP Southern Division Chief Margaris and several CHP retirees who worked with Officer Hinman at his gravesite to share memories and pay their respects. : A permanent memorial plaque for Officer Hinman is located in front of the CHP West Valley station and can be viewed by the public.

BREAKING BAD INSTEAD OF BRAKING FOR RED LIGHT... CHP West Valley officers stopped a vehicle after it ran a red light in front of them. When the officers contacted the driver, the driver was acting extremely nervous and began frantically reaching all throughout the vehicle for their driver license. Based on this behavior and a few other factors, officers detained the driver and then discovered several fraudulent driver licenses and ID cards in their possession. A search of the... vehicle lead to a surprising discovery: Several pounds of meth, several pounds of heroin, hundreds of Xanax, mushrooms, ecstasy pills, opioids, adderall, oxycodone, Suboxone strips and other prescription medications. If that wasn’t enough, the officers also found over $40,000 in cash, a scale, baggies, an unregistered & unserialized AR-15 with a short barrel, an unregistered 1911 pistol, a second 1911 pistol (that was found to have been used in a previous crime), a high-capacity magazine along with ammunition. The driver was a felon with multiple convictions. The driver was arrested, the guns were confiscated, and the drugs, valued at close to half a million dollars, were seized. See more

Leave it to dispatch to send us to this garbage call... WHAT HAPPENED HERE? (Wrong answers only, of course)

A CHP West Valley Officer consoles a driver experiencing a panic attack following a multi-vehicle traffic collision on the 405 Fwy. CHP officers across California respond to traffic collisions every single day - ranging from non-injury fender benders to devastating fatalities. While being on scene in the chaotic aftermath of traffic collisions is a very routine part of our job, we also have to step back and remember that being involved in any kind of collision can be a stressful and traumatic experience for many people.

Can a CHP PIUV (Police Interceptor Utility Vehicle) push a semi-truck and trailer? Sound on for some amazing narration by West Valley’s very own hype man!

It’s always unfortunate when this happens, but CHP located a mountain lion that appeared to have been struck and killed by a vehicle along the US-101 Fwy in Calabasas this morning.

CHP West Valley on a SR-138 fixed-post assisting with the massive Bobcat Fire this week.

THOSE AREN’T PRINGLES! In the early morning hours, two CHP West Valley officers made a stop on a vehicle for expired registration. Upon contacting the driver, officers noticed the driver behaving strangely: avoiding eye contact, hesitant to lower the rear windows and he began reaching toward the back seat. The officer shined his flashlight inside the rear of the vehicle and illuminated a loaded handgun. The driver complied with all of the officers commands and was safely rem...oved from the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed two false containers, a potato chip can and an unopened can of iced tea, that each contained narcotics packaged for sale. The drugs and gun were seized and the driver was placed under arrest. Amongst the assortment of drugs was methamphetamine, cocaine, ecstasy, oxycodone, Xanax, as well as nearly $1,300 in narcotic sales proceeds. Several doses of narcotics ready for distribution and a loaded gun were removed from the streets today... all from a registration stop. See more

A CHP West Valley officer stopped to check on a disabled vehicle on the right shoulder of the 101 Fwy. The driver was waiting for roadside assistance to arrive for a flat tire. Our officer went ahead and changed the tire to get the driver safely on her way. Before leaving she asked for a quick picture! Helping people during stressful or dangerous moments on the road is always one of our favorite parts of doing this job.