What's a Fourth of July without a booze-fueled barbecue? Beer and burgers for the gentlemen, wine coolers and salad for the ladies, right? OK , I'm kidding. But it's true, drinking is part of how many folks celebrate the upcoming holiday. The San Francisco police department, however, wants to make sure that your celebration doesn't make it onto the road.
In a press release sent Wednesday by SFPD spokesperson Officer Albie Esparza, we're told that SFPD's DUI task force will be sweeping the streets for impaired drivers this weekend, with saturation patrols on July 4th from 8:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m.
But Friday's not the end of it. On Saturday, get ready for a couple DUI/Drivers License checkpoints at as-yet-unannounced locations from 8:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m.
SFPD Sergeant John Bragagnolo tells us, "every San Francisco County law enforcement agency is ramping up their enforcement to make our roads safer this Fourth of July,aggressively targeting those who put lives in danger." (And he might know a little bit about "aggressively" targeting suspects!)
According to Lawrence Taylor, the self-described "dean of DUI Attorneys", a first DUI offense can nab you a punishment as severe as a six month jail sentence, fines of up to $1500, and a license suspension of four months.
As a reminder, you're considered over the legal limit if your blood alcohol concentration hits .08%, a level some say you can reach from as little as one "standard" drink an hour.