Citing Adenhart case, police promise to swarm Angels Stadium in drunk driving crackdown
Orange County authorities are warning baseball fans against drinking and driving after the Angels' playoff game today and said law enforcement officers will be swarming the area around Angel Stadium looking for violators.
The Angels face the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series after 1 p.m. [An earlier version of this post said the game would begin at 1 p.m.]
Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart, 22, died in April after a crash with an alleged drunk driver just seven miles from the stadium, where he had pitched earlier that night.
"The death of Nick Adenhart and his two friends was a tragedy and we will do our best to end this baseball season without any more DUI related deaths or injuires," Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said in a news release.
The Anaheim Police Department distributed a news release asking that motorists not going to Angel Stadium avoid the area during peak traffic time and take alternate routes, and reminding fans that consuming alcohol in the Angel Stadium parking lot is prohibited.
-- Ari B. Bloomekatz
Photo: A memorial to Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart at Angel Stadium. Credit: Adam Rose / Los Angeles Times
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EDITOR'S PICKS:
What in the world are the O.C. cops thinking?
Did they forget that this accident was hours after the game,
and the guy that hit them was not in attendence of the game, and that both cars did not leave from the staduim? And how tragic to learn that the female driver of Adenhart's car was also Under the Influence of Alcohol,and how in the world can that slide?
Patrolling the staduim should always be on the roster when there is a game if they want to make DUI arrests, because no matter what Drinking Alcohol Happens in the parking lot anyway before and after games!
Posted by: farbie | October 19, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Based on what I've seen attending Angel's games, they might be better off sending the fashion police.
Posted by: Wade | October 19, 2009 at 12:57 PM
Of course that fact that the woman driving the car in which Adenhart was a passenger was also under the influence will never be mentioned. Is it possible that if she was completely sober she could have reacted better and avoided the drunk driver as he barreled through the intersection? Maybe? Alcohol is a very dangerous drug which causes many problems. Drunk driving, health concerns, agressiveness, impairmennt but yet it's legal.
Posted by: JohnHenry | October 19, 2009 at 01:04 PM
Hey Farbie -- have you been to an Angels game lately? Been around Anaheim Stadium AFTER an Angels game lately? Make sure you don't light a match anywhere near those boozed-up knuckleheads or you and 50,000 of your closest friends will instantly combust. Nope; with the cops on this one: Bravo Anaheim police!
Posted by: MC | October 19, 2009 at 01:06 PM
How about dealing with the drunk, disorderly angel fans inside the stadium. They seem to have the freedom to run around drunk, high, assaulting other fans and there is zero accountability.
I can't wait for someone to sue the shorts off of the stadium, the city, and 'ol Arte Moreno.
Enough is Enough!
Posted by: Vicseverywhere | October 19, 2009 at 01:15 PM
This is, in one sense, good. In another it's misses the mark.
Crack down on drunks in the stadium or better yet; limit or eliminate the sale of alcoholic beverages, and prohibit fans from bringing their own. I used to enjoy attending games and having an occasional beer. The last time an obnoxious drunk spilled beer down my back at a ball game was the last time I attended a game. This same drunk, or one of his fellow travelers, may have gotten in a car and driven home.
Posted by: apple1 | October 19, 2009 at 01:18 PM
darn, did I miss the bring your kid to the makeshift-memorial-day so I can get my kids' picture in the newspaper's website and maybe, cross your fingers, print!!
Posted by: myfailsafe | October 19, 2009 at 01:39 PM
There's no way you can stop fans from drinking the way the Angels have been playing.
Posted by: Grandpa | October 19, 2009 at 02:22 PM
dont u all worry baseball wont b hanging around for to long in anaheim jiji
Posted by: ricardo | October 19, 2009 at 03:05 PM
Baseball stadiums is not the same without a occasional beer here and there, but not every human has control over there drinking so they should limit a person to maybe two beers per person by keeping a track system. Ahuevolines Lets go Dodgers!!!
Posted by: junior | October 19, 2009 at 03:28 PM
In memory of Adenhart who was on his way to some club to get drunk and drive later himself. Please!
Posted by: El Fweido | October 19, 2009 at 03:45 PM
I've been to a lot of ballparks around the country and since the only way out of Anaheim is to drive (no local subway/public transit) it's necessary to stop selling alcohol to these loser scumbag fans in Anaslime by the 4th inning. Seriously, they're clearly not there for the game. It's cheap beer (thanks for lowering the prices Senor Moreno) and driving in their big trucks for them, not to mentoin playing with their Thundersticks. Ahh, the American dream, a 20 oz. Bud light and a loaded F150 with a loaded meth head driver. Nice job. I won't spend my baseball money in that stadium again. If a bartender can be held accountable for serving why can't the concession stand workers? There should be a sobriety checkpoint at EVERY EXIT! It's the only way to honor those who have died in these types of accidents.
Posted by: LOL | October 19, 2009 at 07:08 PM
If the City of Anaheim and the Police were serious about drunk driving then ban alcohol from the parking lot and in the stadium. 50,000 less people to worry about drunk driving in the city. That would free up the police to go after real crime through out the city and everyone would drive home safe and sound. Oh happy day!
Posted by: Leno | October 20, 2009 at 07:28 AM
AVOID
Posted by: JB | October 20, 2009 at 12:24 PM