A 12-year old boy, and his 10-year old friend, drank his parent

Scott Weiland arrived at a Van Nuys jail at 8:55 Monday morning to begin an eight day sentence for driving under the influence in Los Angeles. He was officially booked shortly after noon and then checked into a prison cell at 6:41 pm. Fourteen minutes later he was released.

The frontman for the Stone Temple Pilots was charged with drunk driving in California following a minor accident on an LA freeway last November. In addition to the jail term, he was sentenced last April to four years of probation, fined two thousand dollars and ordered to complete an alcohol rehabilitation program.

As it was Weiland

The effort by law enforcement agencies to crack down on New Mexico drunk driving has resulted in a record number of seized vehicles. Repeat offenders for drunk driving in Albuquerque have contributed to literally acres of cars and trucks.

One impound lot covers nine acres, with officers seizing about 2,200 vehicles in 2007. In looking at the assortment, one finds expensive trucks to downright clunkers. Albuquerque’s deputy city attorney revealed that hard-core alcoholics actually purchase second ‘junk’ cars as their drinking vehicles. Many NM driving while intoxicated defendants have said “that’s my drunk car.”

Police periodically conduct auctions of the seized vehicles. More than 3000 DWI seizure vehicles have been sold since the program was initiated seven years ago. Despite costing half a million dollars to run the seizure program, last year there was a profit from towing, auction and storage fees. That money went into a pool for New Mexico drunk driving programs, including education, training and equipment purchases.

Governor Dave Heineman signed into law a bill that dramatically changes the penalties for drunk driving in Nebraska. The law requires the installation of an ignition interlock device for all motorists convicted of Nebraska DUI. Even first time offenders.

Driving under the Influence in Nebraska is charged when a motorist has a blood alcohol content of .08% or higher. An ignition interlock device requires a motorist to breathe into a tube before starting a vehicle. If alcohol is detected the ignition is disabled.

Previously, Nebraska DUI law called for a six month driver

Traditionally DWI sobriety checkpoints focus on larger streets and intersections, and they are implemented on the weekend. Albuquerque police are now shifting efforts against driving while intoxicated in New Mexico by setting up roadblocks on smaller roads on any given day of the week.

The goal is to have an element of surprise; making driver