Dec 18, 2007 5:09 pm US/Pacific
Ho Ho Here's Your Ticket... Santa Busts Motorists
LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. (CBS) ―
Motorists who failed to stop for Santa Claus at a crosswalk near a Lake Elsinore middle school were ticketed during a crosswalk enforcement program.
Sheriff's officials targeted the intersection of Graham Avenue and Lewis Street between 7 and 10 a.m. An undercover sergeant dressed as Santa acted as though he was going to cross to see whether drivers would stop for him, said sheriff's Sgt. Ron Heim.
Fifty-two motorists were given tickets for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, he said.
Seven vehicles were impounded and one motorist was served an arrest warrant.
Some motorists told deputies that they never saw Santa, or they felt it was safer to keep going, instead of stopping suddenly and get struck from behind, Heim said.
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