Menifee DUI saturation patrols yield firearm, drugs

MURRIETA, Calif. — Authorities say DUI saturation patrols in Menifee – held on Thursday, Dec 3 and Friday, Dec 4 – led to two significant drug and gun-related arrests.

Funding for this DUI Patrol was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Murrieta Police Sergeant Matthew Bloch later reported.

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City of Menifee police officers assisting during the DUI enforcement operations on Thursday conducted a traffic stop on a suspected intoxicated driver that led to the discovery of a loaded firearm and six grams of methamphetamine.

The following day officers conducting DUI saturation patrols stopped another driver who was found to be in possession of approximately 350 pills containing suspected Fentanyl.

Two traffic stops made by Menifee PD officers conducting DUI saturation patrols on Thursday and Friday led to the discovery of a firearm, along with suspected methamphetamine and Fentanyl pills. Menifee PD photos

“While the state’s stay-at-home order is limiting how often people are out, Menifee Police Department is committed to keeping the public safe when they do need to run essential errands, Bloch said of the two arrests.

“Menifee Police Department reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving,” Bloch continued. “Always follow directions for use and read warning labels about driving or “operating heavy machinery,” which includes driving a car.”

“While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal,” added Bloch.

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Menifee Police Chief Pat Walsh said of the arrests, “Driving under the influence is dangerous, illegal and puts a further strain on resources in the middle of a pandemic.”

“We are still out there and will not hesitate to stop drivers who drive impaired,” Walsh continued. “Further, even though our officers main focus was locating DUI drivers, we will always put the safety of our community on the forefront.”


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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 49, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.