Costa Mesa Holds DUI Checkpoint Tonight, Special Sheriff's Patrols All Super Bowl Weekend

Costa Mesa holds a DUI checkpoint somewhere in the city from 8 tonight through 3 a.m. Saturday, so if you were planning to do some alcoholic wind sprints to get your liver in shape for Super Bowl Sunday, you may want to avoid Goat Hill.

Speaking of the big game, the Orange County Sheriff's Department has announced saturation patrols around the county aimed at taking boozemeisters off the roads.

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Costa Mesa cops have a fresh DUI crash in their minds to get them up for the big enforcement game. A woman was hospitalized with minor injuries early Wednesday after a repeat DUI driver crashed his vehicle into a home n the 1600 block of Myrtlewood Street.

The ride entered about four feet into the home and wound up lodged between two bedrooms that had people in the them. The woman was injured by flying debris, and another occupant thought they were experiencing a major earthquake.

Driver Lawrence Smith, 26, of Costa Mesa, and a male passenger were not hurt. Smith, who was prior DUI convictions, was booked for possible DUI again.

This weekend's special saturation patrols will blanket streets with histories of DUI arrests, crashes and fatalities. As well, “every regularly scheduled patrol officer will be watching for the tell-tale signs of impaired driving before, during and after the game,” according to the “Avoid the 38” DUI Task Force–the number reflecting how many Orange County law enforcement agencies are part of the effort.

Avoid the 38 offered these tips if you're attending a Super Bowl party or watching the game at a sports bar or restaurant:

• Designate your sober driver, or plan another way to get home safely before the party begins;

• If you don't have a designated driver, ask a sober friend for a ride home; call a cab, friend, or family member to come and get you; or just stay for the night;

• Remember, your seat belt is your best defense against a drunk driver in a crash.

If you're hosting a Super Bowl party:

• Make sure all your guests designate a sober driver in advance, or arrange for alternate transportation to ensure they get home safely;

• Serve food and include non-alcoholic beverages at the party;

• Stop serving alcohol at the end of the third quarter of the game and begin serving coffee and dessert;

• Keep the numbers for local cab companies handy, and take the keys away from anyone who has had too much to drink.

You're encouraged to call 9-1-1 if you see someone who appears to be drunk driving on the road.

Email: mc****@oc******.com. Twitter: @MatthewTCoker. Follow OC Weekly on Twitter @ocweekly or on Facebook!