CC - Resos 98-13 - Recovery of Emergency Cost Arising our of DUI Driving - Box 067q2
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR
AND MEMBERS
ROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL
FROM: ROBERT KRESS, CITY ATTORNEY
DATE: APRIL 14, 1998
RE: RESOLUTION NO. 98-13 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF ROSEMEAD
AUTHORIZING RECOVERY OF EMERGENCY COSTS ARISING OUT OF
ALCOHOL AND/OR DRUG RELATED DRIVING
Recently Sgt. Wallace informed staff of the opportunity to recover the City's direct costs involved
for Sheriffs Department arrest and impounding of vehicles of drivers impaired by alcohol and or
drugs. Government Code §§53150-53158 (copies attached) allow public agencies to bill drivers
for the emergency response costs associated with their arrest and vehicle impound.
Sgt. Wallace estimates that Rosemead currently spends approximately $37,050.00 per year on
such emergency responses. The average cost of such an incident is approximately $285.00.
The drivers are mailed an explanatory letter, along with a bill from the City, detailing the costs
incurred in the emergency response. Samples of the correspondence and billing currently utilized
in the City of Duarte are attached.
RECOMMENDATION:
It-is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 98-13, a Resolution of the City
Council of the City of Rosemead Authorizing Recovery of Emergency Costs Arising Out of
Alcohol and or Drug Related Driving,
agit m 18
COUNCIL. AGENDA
APR 2 81998
ITEM No. - .A _
RESOLUTION NO. 98-13
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROSEMEAD
AUTHORIZING RECOVERY OF EMERGENCY COSTS ARISING OUT OF
ALCOHOL AND/OR DRUG RELATED DRIVING
WHEREAS, persons under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or any drug or the combined
influence of an alcoholic beverage and any drug who operate a motor vehicle, are a danger to
themselves and the community in general; and
WHEREAS, persons who are under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or any drug or the
combination of the two, contribute to a large percentage of auto accidents in the County of Los
Angeles; and
WHEREAS, persons who are under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or any drug or the
combination of the two, create a burdensome expense for the emergency response by a public agency
and specifically, the City of Rosemead; and
WHEREAS, California Government Code Sections 53150 through 53158, et. al, enable public
agencies such as the City of Rosemead to recover its expenses of an emergency response arising out of
the negligent and/or intentional operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of an alcoholic
beverage or any drug or any combination of the two; and
WHEREAS, the City of Rosemead desires to recover the expense of its emergency response
resulting from the intentional wrongful conduct and/or negligent operation of a motor vehicle while
under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or any drug or any combination of the two,
NOW, THEREFORE THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROSEMEAD DOES
RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1: That California Government Code Sections 53150 through 53158, et. al., regarding
the costs of emergency response arising out of the negligent and/or intentional operation of a motor
vehicle while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or drug or any combination of the two, be
adopted by the City of Rosemead.
Section 2: That the City Council of the City of Rosemead direct the city staff to implement this
program for the recovery of emergency response costs.
PASSED and ADOPTED this 28th day of April, 1998.
ATTEST:
Mayor
Nancy Valderrama, City Clerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss.
CITY OF ROSEMEAD )
I, Nancy Valderrama, City Clerk of the City of Rosemead, County of Los Angeles, State
of California, hereby attest to the above signature and certify that Resolution No. was
adopted by the City Council of said City of Rosemead at a regular meeting of said Council held
on the 28th day of April, 1998, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
Nancy Valderrama, City Clerk
City of Rosemead, California
§ 53150 CITIES, COUNTIES, At OTHER AGENCIES
Tide 5
Article 8
COSTS OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Section
53150. Negligent operation of motor vehicle; influence of alcoholic beverage or drug;
intentional wrongful conduct; liability.
53151. Negligent operation of boat or vessel; influence of alcoholic beverage or drug;
intentional wrongful conduct; liability.
53152. Negligent operation of civil aircraft; influence of alcoholic beverage or drug;
intentional wrongful conduct; liability.
53153. Influence of alcoholic beverage or drug; inability to operate motor vehicle,
boat or vessel, or aircraft; presumptions.
53154. Charge against person liable; collection of debt; insurance.
53155. Limit on liability. _
53156. Definitions.
53157. Admissibility of evidence in criminal proceedings.
53158. Legislative intent.
Article 8 was added by Stats.1985, c. 337, § 1.
Cross References
Restitution of costs as condition of probation, see Penal Code § 1203.1.
§ 53150. Negligent operation of motor vehicle; influence of alcoholic bev-
erage or drug; intentional wrongful conduct; liability
Any person who is under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or any drug,
or the combined influence of an alcoholic beverage and any drug, whose
negligent operation of a motor vehicle caused by that influence proximately
causes any incident resulting in an appropriate emergency response, and any
person whose intentionally wrongful conduct proximately causes any incident
resulting in an appropriate emergency response, is liable for the expense of an
emergency response by a public agency to the incident.
(Added by Stats.1985, c. 337, § 1.)
§ 53151. Negligent operation of boat or vessel; influence of alcoholic
beverage or drug; intentional wrongful conduct; liability
Any person who is under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or any drug,
or the combined influence of an alcoholic beverage and any drug, whose
negligent operation of any boat or vessel caused by that influence proximately
causes any incident resulting in an appropriate emergency response, and any
person whose intentionally wrongful conduct proximately causes any incident
resulting in an appropriate emergency response, is liable for the expense of an
emergency response by a public agency to the incident.
(Added by Stats.1985, c. 337, § 1.)
§ 53152. Negligent operation of civil aircraft; influence of alcoholic bever-
age or drug; intentional wrongful conduct; liability
Any person who is under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or any drug,
or the combined influence of an alcoholic beverage and any drug, whose
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GENERAL POWERS & DUTIES § 53156
Div. 2
negligent operation of a civil aircraft caused by that influence proximately
causes any incident resulting in an appropriate emergency response, and any
person whose intentionally wrongful conduct proximately causes an incident
resulting in an appropriate emergency response, is liable for the expense of an
emergency response by a public agency to the incident.
(Added by Stats.1985, c. 337, § 1.)
§ 53153. Influence of alcoholic beverage or drug; inability to operate
motor vehicle, boat or vessel, or aircraft; presumptions
For purposes of this article, a person is under the influence of an alcoholic
beverage or any drug, or the combined influence of an alcoholic beverage and
any drug, when as a result of drinking an alcoholic beverage or using a drug, or
both, his or her physical or mental abilities are impaired to a degree that he or
she no longer has the ability to operate a motor vehicle, boat or vessel, or
aircraft with the caution characteristic of a sober person of ordinary prudence
under the same or similar circumstances. For purposes of this article, the
presumptions described in Sections 23152 and 23155 of the Vehicle Code shall
apply.
(Added by Stats.1985, c. 337, § I.)
§ 53154. Charge against person liable; collection of debt; insurance
The expense of an emergency response shall be a charge against the person
liable for expenses under this article. The charge constitutes a debt of that
person and is collectible by the public agency incurring those costs in the same
manner as in the case of an obligation under a contract, expressed or implied,
except that liability for the expenses provided for in this article shall not be
insurable and no insurance policy shall provide or pay for the expenses.
(Added by Stats.1985. c. 337, § I.)
§ 53155. Limit on liability
In no event shall a person's liability under this article for the expense of an
emergency response exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) for a particular
incident.
(Added by Stats.1985, c. 337, § I. Amended by Stats.1986, c. 1112, § 1.)
§ 53156. Definitions
As used in this article:
(a) "Expense of an emergency response" means reasonable costs incurred by
a public agency in reasonably making an appropriate emergency response to
the incident, but shall only include those costs directly arising because of the
response to the particular incident. Reasonable costs shall include the costs of
providing police, firefighting, rescue, and emergency medical services at the
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§ 53156 CITIES, COUNTIES, & OTHER AGENCIES
Title 5
scene of the incident, as well as the salaries of the personnel responding to the
incident.
(b) "Public agency" means the state and any city, county, municipal corpora-
tion, district, or public authority located, in whole or in part, within this state
which provides or may provide firefighting, police, ambulance, medical, or
other emergency services.
(c) "Intentionally wrongful conduct" means conduct intended to injure an-
other person or property.
(Added by Stats.1985, c. 337, § 1. Amended by Stats.1986, c. 1112, § 2.)
§ 53157. Admissibility of evidence in criminal proceedings
Any testimony, admission, or any other statement made by the defendant in
any proceeding brought pursuant to this article, or any evidence derived from
the testimony, admission, or other statement, shall not be admitted or otherwise
used in any criminal proceeding arising out of the same incident.
(Added by Slats. 1985, c. 337, § 1.)
§ 53158. Legislative intent
It is not the intent of the Legislature, in enacting this article, to occupy the
field of recovery of the expense of an emergency response by a public agency,
nor is it the intent of the Legislature to preempt local regulations or to
otherwise limit the remedies available to any public agency to recover the
expenses of an emergency response to any incident not involving persons who
operate a motor vehicle, a boat or vessel, or a civil aircraft while under the
influence of an alcoholic beverage or any drug, or the combined influence of an
alcoholic beverage and any drug. It is the intent of the Legislature that the
recovery of the expenses of an emergency response under this chapter shall
supplement and shall not supplant any other provisions of lain relating to the
recovery of those expenses.
(Added by Stats.1985, c. 337, § 1. Amended by Stats.1987, c. 897, § l.)