July 4th Weekend DUI Arrests on Rise

, according to the sheriff's office.

From 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 1 through midnight Saturday, July 2, officers representing 15 law enforcement agencies had arrested 47 individuals for DUI-related offenses.

That's 15 more arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs than the 33 reported during the same 48-hour period in 2010, the sheriff's office said.

As last year, there were no DUI-related fatalities, said Santa Clara County sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Rick Sung.

Extra DUI saturation patrols will be deployed Sunday, July 3 in Milpitas, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Saratoga, Los Altos Hills and San Jose, the sheriff's office said.

In the greater Bay Area, there have also been more drunken drivers arrested this Fourth of July weekend compared to the same time last year, according to the California Highway Patrol.

From Friday evening to Saturday morning, CHP officers in the Bay Area had arrested 67 people suspected of driving under the influence, which is up from 2010's total of 57 drivers, CHP officers said.

But like last year, provisional figures show that no DUI-related fatalities have been reported in the Bay Area, officers said.

CHP officers in Santa Rosa arrested 13 people suspected of drunken driving, which officers said is higher than a typical Friday night.

DUI arrests have also increased statewide, with 442 drivers arrested on suspicion of DUI, compared to 396 arrests during the first day of the holiday weekend in 2010.

Police, Sheriff and the CHP encourage all motorists to help make their community safer by reporting drunk drivers by calling 911. 

The campaign continues through midnight Monday, July 4.  

—Bay City News Service contributed to his report