Traffic stops yield DUI, assault, weapons charges

A trio of drunken driving incidents on Sunday led to three arrests and an alleged assault on a Porterville police officer.

The first incident turned violent when a Lindsay man reportedly assaulted an officer during a traffic stop.

Porterville police received a call at 3:15 p.m. Sunday about a theft that had just occurred at Music Trend, 1122 W. Henderson Ave. Just prior to the call, Officer James Gong had made a traffic stop on Prospect Street, just north of Henderson Avenue, on a motorcyclist for not wearing a helmet.

During the traffic stop, police report the driver was not able to produce a driver’s license. He reportedly identified himself at Michael Campbell, and said he had gone to Music Trend to buy a compact disc. Police said Campbell also appeared intoxicated.

As Gong was questioning Campbell, the Porterville Police Department received the theft call from Music Trend and learned Campbell was the suspected thief.

Campbell, 34, reportedly became violent while being arrested, allegedly making threats, resisting arrest and assaulting Gong.

He was arrested and booked into the Tulare County Jail on suspicion of assault on a peace officer, making threats against a peace officer, burglary, driving under the influence and for violation of parole.

The next incident occurred at 5:48 p.m. at Villa Street and Putnam Avenue and resulted in an arrest and confiscation of an illegal weapon.

While on patrol, Officer Carl Jordan reportedly saw a 1997 Chevrolet pickup heading west at a high rate of speed. He stopped the pickup and reportedly saw that the driver, Leland Wood, 36, of Porterville, looked intoxicated.

Police report that a subsequent test revealed that Wood was over the legal blood-alcohol limit. Police discovered that Wood was on parole, and was reportedly in possession of an illegal weapon.

The nature of the weapon was not reported.

Wood was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, possession of an illegal weapon and for violation of parole. He was booked into the Tulare County Jail.

The final DUI arrest of the day came after a 10:43 p.m. traffic accident in the 1200 block of West Westfield Avenue.

Police were called to the area to investigate an accident where a pickup was driven into a home.

Robert Lopez, 27, of Porterville, was driving a 2002 GMC pickup west on Westfield Avenue and tried to make a southbound turn onto Lowery Street, but lost control of the pickup, police report. The pickup left the roadway and crashed into the home of Miguel Sanchez.

No injuries were reported at the Sanchez residence. The home sustained moderate damage to the exterior living room wall.

Lopez suffered minor cuts as a result of the crash.

Police report that Lopez showed signs on being intoxicated. They also determined that Lopez was on state parole and as a result of the accident and contributing factors was in violation of his parole.

Lopez was arrested and, after a subsequent test reportedly showed he was over the legal blood-alcohol limit, he was booked into the Tulare County Jail on suspicion of drunken driving and for violating his parole.

-- Contact Glen Faison at 784-5000, Ext. 1040 or gfaison@portervillerecorder.com.