Lifeguards make two rescues at Malibu beaches.
By Olivia Damavandi / Assistant Editor
As those who stayed in town during Christmas time may have witnessed typically empty roadways throughout Malibu, the total number of DUI arrests and fatalities in both Los Angeles County and the state decreased from that of last year’s holiday week, according to the California Highway Patrol.
And despite the ocean’s frigid temperature, Los Angeles County lifeguards last week Tuesday made two rescues involving scuba divers and surfers who got caught in 20-mph to 40-mph winds.
Throughout the state from Dec. 18 to Dec. 26, 1,104 DUI arrests were made and 22 fatalities were recorded, compared to last year’s 1,397 DUI arrests and 37 fatalities during the same period, according to a California Highway Patrol report.
Of this year’s statewide DUI arrests, 251 occurred in Los Angeles County, where two fatalities were reported. Last year, 270 DUI arrests were made in the county, and seven were killed, the report states.
Leland Tang, a CHP public information officer, on Monday attributed the reduction in impaired drivers and roadway deaths to a public awareness campaign called the California Avoid program, which encourages and assists people in including transportation, such as the use of a designated driver, as part of their event planning.
At the beach last week Tuesday, Los Angeles County lifeguards rescued three surfers who were swept by strong winds, currents and waves into the rocks near Pirates Cove at Point Dume during a paddle-out funeral ceremony, L.A. County Lifeguard Captain Remy Smith said in a phone interview this week.
On that same day, lifeguards rescued three inexperienced scuba divers at Nicholas State Beach, who were also swept up by the winds, currents and waves, Smith said.