COUNTY DEPUTY HELPS PUT BRAKES ON DRUNK DRIVERS; MADD SALUTES OFFICER'S WORK.

Byline: Teresa Jimenez Daily News Staff Writer

Santa Clarita Valley sheriff's station Deputy George Guevara has become an expert at spotting drivers who have had a few too many drinks.

He has become so good, in fact, that last year he arrested 216 drunk drivers - the highest in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

``It almost becomes easy after a while, spotting drunk drivers,'' Guevara said. ``I have an interest in spotting them because people get killed by them.''

Almost any poor driving maneuver is a giveaway, Guevara said. He has seen drivers go too fast or too slow, keep a steady speed but not be able to stay in one lane, take turns too fast or make unusual stops at intersections.

And the arrests involve all sorts of situations, from the businessmen having drinks over lunch to kids smoking marijuana and drinking after school, Guevara said.

Guevara was among peace officers from around California honored at a Mothers Against Drunk Driving convention over the weekend in San Francisco. Honored with Guevara was Santa Clarita Deputy Alain Budge, who made 109 drunk-driving arrests last year, one of several Santa Clarita deputies with over 100 arrests.

Individual departments from around the state selected the officers and deputies that would represent them, based on guidelines provided by MADD, said group spokeswoman Shelby Finlay.

``We wanted to recognize them on a state level,'' Finlay said. ``It really was a recognition from their superiors. We didn't do the selection.''

Santa Clarita Valley sheriff's Sgt. Steve Mulcahy said local deputies are committed to finding drunk drivers because many of the officers live in the area and don't want harm to come to people they know.

``Our station made more DUI arrests than any other. A lot live in this area, so they take a lot of interest in the community,'' Mulcahy said. ``Taking them off the street before they hurt someone is very important to them.''

The drunk-driving citations are probably higher in Santa Clarita because of the makeup of the community, Guevara said. In middle-class suburban areas, the drug of choice often is alcohol, he said.

``They're no different from other communities,'' Guevara said. ``Some communities have a cocaine problem or other drug problems. Here, it tends to be alcohol.''