CHP

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 t...o 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.

Our hearts go out to our brothers and sisters in our Antelope Valley office today after the loss of one of our own. We will forever be grateful for his service to his community and the State of California. Please keep his loved ones and friends in your hearts as they continue to mourn the loss of a wonderful man.

With more PG&E power shutdowns looming many people are busy planning how they will manage things at home. Most of us in the public safety field are busy planning how we are going to manage all of the outages that will cripple our infrastructure, especially traffic lights. For some of us, it's been a while since we went through the DMV driving test where we demonstrated that we knew what to do when we approach a blacked-out traffic signal. Please remember that if a traffic lig...ht is not operable you are required to treat it as a stop sign. Please remember, it DOES NOT meant that you can just cruise through the intersection and not worry about stopping. Should you arrive at the intersection at the same time as another vehicle, remember that you are required to yield the right-of-way to the vehicle on the right. Also, vehicle's traveling straight from a stop have the right-of-way over any turning vehicles. Please keep these tips in mind, and stay safe during potential power shutoff's.

The phrase "threading the needle" comes to mind when we see our helicopter crew find a landing spot in some tight extremely tight locations.

Medevac-Marin County CHP H-30 responded to a report of a mountain bike rider down on a trail in Fairfax. Firefighters arrived on scene and located a male in h...is 60 who was unconscious. CHP H-30 landed next to the scene and transported the critically injured rider to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek. The rider is currently being treated by the John Muir Trauma Team and is in critical condition.

CHP H-30 is currently with firefighters from Ross Valley with a mountain bike collision. Patient was found down on a trail.... Update: H-30 has been released from the scene. The patients injuries are non life threatening and will be transported by ground ambulance.

CHP REMINDS PARENTS TO BE ROLE MODELS FOR TEEN DRIVERS Teen drivers can face challenges with every new experience. During National Teen Driver Safety Week, October 18-24, 2020, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) joins the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to encourage parents and guardians to discuss driver safety with their young drivers. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States, ahead of any type of injury, disease..., or violence. According to preliminary data from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, 255 people in California were killed last year in crashes involving drivers aged 15-19. Discussions about safe driving include avoiding distractions such as cell phones, using seat belts, obeying speed limits, not driving impaired, and limiting the number of passengers. Parents and guardians must be aware that their own driving behavior and following the same rules is as important as any conversation they may have with their teen. The CHP provides education to help keep teen drivers alive in its Start Smart course, offered by all CHP offices free of charge. Participating in Start Smart will help parents and guardians learn how to effectively discuss the importance of driving safely with their young drivers. Start Smart also teaches driver responsibility, the Graduated Driver License program, and collision-avoidance techniques. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Start Smart classes are being held online. Please check out our "Events" section for information on how to sign up for our next Start Smart Class. The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.

A truly tragic Thanksgiving for a family visiting McClures Beach.

MOTORCYCLIST KILLED IN SATURDAY MORNING CRASH IN WEST MARIN At approximately 10:15 AM on Saturday morning, our officers were dispatched to a call of a collision on SR-1 near Olema-Bolinas Road. Responding officers were advised that a motorcyclist had been involved in a collision with another vehicle and was now unresponsive. Fire crews were also dispatched after the motorcycle came to rest in a grassy area where a fire started. Our preliminary investigation indicates that a... BMW SUV was traveling northbound on SR-1, approaching the Bolinas Y. As the BMW approached the left turn for Bolinas, the vehicle slowed and the driver activated the left turn signal. Just as the vehicle began to make the left turn, a motorcyclist, also traveling northbound, attempted to pass the SUV on the left, over double-yellow lines, at a high rate of speed. The motorcyclist collided with the left side of the SUV, causing the rider to be ejected. The rider and motorcycle came to rest in an open field where a fire started. The driver of the SUV immediately exited his vehicle and ran to the aid of the rider who was unresponsive and in danger of being caught in the spreading fire. After removing the rider from the fire danger, the driver of the SUV began CPR on the rider until emergency personnel arrived on scene. Despite tremendous lifesaving efforts, the motorcyclist was pronounced deceased at the scene. SR-1 was closed in both directions at the location of the collision for a brief period of time to allow emergency crews to extinguish the fire and treat the rider. Once able, one-way traffic control was initiated. At this time, the name of the deceased is not being released, pending notification of next of kin. Any inquiries regarding the identity of the deceased should be directed to the Marin County Sheriff's Office - Coroner Division.

**Trail Rescue-Marin Headlands** This afternoon CHP and H-30 responded with Southern Marin Fire to report of a mountain biker down on a trail in the Marin Headl...ands. Firefighters from Southern Marin Fire arrived on scene and found a male rider down with critical injuries. CHP H30 landed nearby and transported the patient to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek. The patient is currently being treated by the trauma team and is listed in critical condition.

HOW FAST ARE YOU ALLOWED TO GO OVER THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT? It's not a rare question for us to get. We actually get a fair number of people that will tell us that they know or that they heard they are allowed to go 5, 10, even 15 MPH over the posted speed limit before we are allowed to pull them over and give them a speeding ticket. We're not sure how many people out there might share this surprisingly common belief, so we're just going to clear this up now. The posted spee...d limit is a set limit, not a recommendation. Our speed limit signs don't have an "-ish" following the numbers. Now, are you going to get pulled over for going 66 in a 65? Most likely, no, however the prevailing conditions (heavy rain, thick fog, ice/snow, etc...) might change that. Regardless, there is no allowable overage when it comes to getting pulled over for speed. If someone tells you otherwise, here is your proof for them. While we absolutely don't condone gambling, if any sort of wager was placed on who was correct, we'll gladly take a 10% cut, donated to a charity or community organization of your choice. (Because someone out there will inevitably take that last bit seriously, here is our "we are only kidding" disclaimer.) See more

**Medevac-Marin County** CHP H-30 just assisted Marin County Fire, Stinson Beach Volunteer Fire Department, and Bolinas Fire with a vehicle collision on Hwy 1. ... CHP H-30 transported one patient to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek with major injuries. The patient is currently being treated by the John Muir trauma team.

The other day, one of our south end units was sitting on a narrow right shoulder with a disabled vehicle. It's actually a common sight to see us sitting on the side of the road, protecting broken down vehicles from errant drivers. Even though the officer had his rear lights flashing, indicating to move left, cars continued to whiz past both the officer's and the citizens doors, some within a foot, at 50-60 MPH. There was even a sign above them telling people to move over o...r slow down, but no one seemed to get it. California Vehicle Code section 28109, more commonly known as the "Move Over or Slow Down Law" states that any vehicle approaching an emergency vehicle, tow truck, or Caltrans vehicle with activated rear flashing lights (red, blue, or amber) is required to move one lane over so that they are no longer in the lane immediately next to the stopped vehicles. ONLY IF it is physically impossible for them to move over can a driver approaching one of these vehicles slow down to a safe and prudent speed (for us) and remain in the adjacent lane. People who break down on the side of our freeways often comment on how much anxiety the situation causes them. While they've probably seen many vehicles stopped on the side of the road, they've never experienced the feeling of having other vehicles flying by you at 65+ MPH. Big rigs and even larger pickup trucks and SUV's can give the feeling of you and your vehicle being pulled to the side when they pass close by. While you may feel comfortable driving by in your vehicle, trust us, we're not comfortable when you're only inches away from us! Do us a favor and give us room! Our lives truly depend on your vigilance and caution when you see us on the side of the road.

IMPAIRED DRIVER REMOVED FROM THE ROAD AFTER CALL FROM VIGILANT CITIZEN Yesterday afternoon we received a call from a concerned driver on northbound 101 near Spencer Avenue. The caller reported a vehicle that was being operated in an unsafe manner and told us she was concerned the driver might be impaired. A broadcast was put out shortly after the call was received and one of our officers happened to be nearby. After locating the vehicle described in the broadcast, Officer S...assen was able stop the driver at the Lucky Drive bus pad. As she spoke with the driver about the "be on the lookout," or BOLO in cop-talk, she observed objective signs of possible drug impairment. After conducting a series of field sobriety tests, the driver was placed under arrest for driving under the influence of drugs. One of our Drug Recognition Experts was called in and verified Officer Sassen's findings. We've said it before, but it's worth repeating; if you see an impaired driver, please call 911 and let us know. Unfortunately we are not always in a position to be able to locate the vehicle, but when we are clear of any calls or other incidents, we will do our best to see if we can track down the vehicle. You may also be providing more information on a vehicle that has already been called in by others that we are searching for. With that said, we NEVER want you to put yourself in a position of danger in order to follow an erratic driver. Provide us whatever information you can (color, make, model, license plate, description of driver, etc...) and stay at a safe distance. If you finish a call with our dispatch, you may receive a followup call shortly after from an officer who is looking for the vehicle you called in. We're not a spam call, I promise, so please pick up! Remember, you are allowed to use a cell phone in any manner, handheld included, to call 911 or speak with emergency personnel. We can't be everywhere at once, but with vigilant citizens acting as our second set of eyes, we can work to remove more bad drivers from our roadways. We truly appreciate this call, and all of the calls we receive from concerned citizens every day!

ALWAYS HERE TO HELP! The other day, Officer Ostler was getting his caffeine fix at a local coffee house when he was approached by a couple with questions about their car seat. Fortunately for them, Officer Ostler happens to be one of our certified Child Passenger Safety Seat techs and was more than happy to go over the proper steps for securing the child in the seat. The California Highway Patrol is one of the few agencies in the state that sends officers to extra training t...o become certified by Safe Kids Worldwide. Our techs are always happy to help out anyone who may need some car seat guidance, whether it be for expectant parents welcoming their first child or grandparents getting ready for a family visit. We are available by appointment only to help you out, and will set aside an hour to go over every aspect of installing your seat to how to properly secure your precious cargo. If you have questions about your car seat or want to schedule an appointment to come into our office for a checkup, please call our office at (415)924-1100. Due to the ongoing pandemic we are operating on a much more limited schedule, but we will always do our best to work with your schedule.

PARKING LOT CLOSURES AT GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE For anyone planning on heading to the GGB today, be advised that the Vista Point parking lot will be closed until 5 PM and the rest of the surrounding parking lots will be closed until approximately 3 PM.

When you're a southern California fire crew that's been sent to the other end of the state to help communities stay safe from horrific wild fires, you definitely take a minute of your off time to get a picture with your crew in front of the most famous bridge in the world! A huge thanks to Santa Fe Springs Firefighters, Local 3507, and all of the other emergency responders coming from far away, for protecting our communities. Your hard work is so appreciated!