Costa Mesa DUI checkpoint yields three arrests

A checkpoint looking for drunk drivers in Costa Mesa resulted in three arrests this weekend, police said.

The Costa Mesa Police Department set up a checkpoint Friday at the intersection of Baker and Bear streets, according to a department press release.

The checkpoint screened 318 vehicles. Three people were arrested on suspicion of DUI, nine citations were issued and six vehicles were impounded.

“This checkpoint was one of many that have been or will be conducted throughout the year in the city of Costa Mesa,” Sgt. David Makiyama, a police spokesman, said in a statement. “The goal of the DUI checkpoint was removing impaired drivers and to bring awareness to the public of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.”

On Feb. 14, a 20-year-old woman was killed in an alleged drunk driving accident in Costa Mesa. Gustavo Adrian Vega, a 22-year-old Orange Coast College student, has been charged with murder in the incident. He pleaded not guilty.