California Highway Patrol's Busy July 4th Weekend; Fatal Accidents, Motorists Speeding At Over 100 MPH
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Even with many San Francisco Bay Area residents having chosen to stay close to home over the July 4th holiday, the California Highway Patrol said its officers had a busy three-day weekend with deadly crashes and dozens of motorists speeding in excess of 100 mph.
The CHP Golden Gate Division said its officers were investigating four fatal traffic collisions including a solo crash that claimed the life of 29-year-old Jose Valdez of Vallejo.
Valdez died early Sunday morning when his vehicle careened off Highway 80 at the Benicia Road off-ramp. Officers found Valdez's 2015
Cadillac CTS down an embankment. He was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle.
CHP officers in the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area also arrested 125 motorists on suspicion of driving under the influence charges during their annual holiday weekend crackdown.
As has been the case since the early days of the COVID-19 shelter-in-place restrictions emptied the freeways, CHP officers found themselves chasing down dozens of drivers who were driving in access of 100 mph.
Officials said of the 1,876 traffic citations they issued, 73 of them were for speeding in excess of 100 mph.
"Our freeway systems are not the (German) autobahn," said CHP Officer John Fransen warned weeks ago. "They're not designed for people to travel over 100 miles per hour, and vehicles are not designed for 100 mile per hour impact."
