Checkpoint in Murrieta Results in Two Arrests, 11 Impounds

Two were arrested at a sobriety/driver's license checkpoint in Murrieta Friday night, including a felon suspected of carrying a loaded firearm and another suspected of carrying an illegal dagger.

Bryan Yang, 35, of Lake Elsinore, was Tasered and then arrested after allegedly trying run away from officers at the checkpoint set up on Clinton Keith Road at Murrieta Oaks Road West, police said today.

Yang tried to make a U-turn to avoid the checkpoint, which was monitoring eastbound traffic on the roadway, said Murrieta police Sgt. James Gruwell in a news release.

When approached by an officer, the sergeant said Yang "displayed objective symptoms of being under the influence of drugs and admitted to being in possession of marijuana."

While an officer led Yang from his vehicle for further investigation, Gruwell said he attempted to run off. The officer attempted to subdue Yang and until a second officer arrived and deployed the Taser, he said.

Yang's record revealed he was a convicted felon serving probation for domestic violence. A search of his car revealed a loaded .38-caliber handgun in addition to marijuana, the sergeant said.

After being treated and released from a local hospital, Yang was arrested on suspicion of several crimes, including resisting an officer, being a felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a loaded firearm, probation violation and driving under the influence of drugs.

During the checkpoint, which was conducted between 7:15 p.m. and 1:15 a.m., a total of 1,007 vehicles drove through. Of those, 657 were screened, Gruwell said.

Fifteen of the drivers screened were pulled into a secondary area for further investigation, according to Gruwell.

A total of 11 vehicles were impounded during the checkpoint. Five vehicles were impounded because of alleged licensing violations, another five vehicles were stored because of the drivers not having valid licenses in the DMV system and one vehicle was stored when that driver was arrested, the sergeant said.

In addition to Yang, Malcolm A. Killebrew, 50, of San Diego, was arrested.

Killebrew, who was wanted on a domestic violence warrant and driving on a suspended license, was allegedly found carrying an illegal dirk/dagger in his vehicle, Gruwell said.

Killebrew was arrested for the warrant and on suspicion of possessing the illegal weapon, according to the sergeant.

Yang and Killebrew were each booked into the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta.

Funding for the checkpoint in Murrieta was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Gruwell said.

Friday's checkpoint kicked off an 18-day heightened campaign against driving while intoxicated. It continues through Labor Day weekend.