100 Fourth of July Arrests Expected in Newport Beach. Huntington Beach? Not So Much

Let's go to the scoreboard: In Huntington Beach, which years ago was the site of Fourth of July yard pissings, fistfights and riots with police cars overturned and set on fire, there were 22 arrests from midnight to midnight, July 4-5, according to city jailer Todd Florez. Over in Newport Beach, which closes the Balboa Peninsula to vehicle traffic to keep the boozy in check, there were 98 arrests as of 5 this morning.

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Most arrests happened on Newps' west side–think apartments and condos, largely rentals–where large parties were held and mass quantities were consumed.

“[O]nce the final tabulations are done, we expect over 100” arrests, Newport Beach Police Lt. D. Psaros reportedly told City News Service.

Across the Santa Ana River, most Surf City arrests were alcohol-related, just like in the bad old days. But Florez credited a second straight year of “safe and sane” fireworks sales in the city with reducing the number of arrests for setting off the illegal variety.

Speaking of crimes, those parking structures off Main Street were charging as much as $35 a space because of the crowds who converged for Huntington Beach's annual Fourth of July parade.

We previously reported on enhanced Fourth weekend law enforcement operations aimed at keeping drugged and drunken drivers off roads, ops that continue through late Sunday:

Fourth of July Holiday DUI Enforcement (Think Checkpoints and Extra Patrols) Begins Tonight (July 3)

But that enforcement failed to prevent the death of Laguna Niguel 58-year-old Luzanna Malec, who was struck by a car as she walked on a Golden Lantern sidewalk last night. Sheriff's deputies say a 43-year-old man was detained for possible DUI.

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

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