No fatal collisions were reported this year or last in the CHP’s Merced County jurisdiction during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
DUI arrests were also down slightly for the CHP’s Central Division, which spans north to Modesto and south to Bakersfield. The division reported 229 DUI arrests this year during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, compared to 232 last year. That division reported two fatal crashes, compared to three last year.
DUI arrests by the CHP statewide increased about 5.5 percent this year during the Thanksgiving weekend, with 1,546 DUI arrests reported, compared to 1,461 DUI arrests last year.
However, about 44 percent fewer people were killed in collisions this year, with 21 people killed in eight car crashes, compared to 37 people killed in 17 crashes last year.
Reporter Victor A. Patton can be reached at (209) 385-2431 or vpatton@mercedsun-star.com.
