CHP Reports Sharp Jump in O.C. Drunk-Driving Arrests Over New Year's

This year's New Year's festivities netted almost twice as many drunk-driving arrests in Orange County as last year, according to the California Highway Patrol.

CHP officers made 70 drunk-driving arrests, up from 36 in 2011. No fatalities were reported. In comparison, the CHP in San Diego County reported 58 arrests, down slightly from 60 last year. And L.A. County logged 248 arrests, up from 228.

CHP Officer Gabe Montoya said he wasn't sure why Orange County's arrest tally was so much higher.

"There were no huge events going on that were different from any other year," he said. "I've heard stories of people having such a lousy year that there was a tendancy to overindulge. ... You could sit down and come up with all kinds of possibilities."

But ultimately, he said, trying to attribute the increase to anything concrete is "pure speculation."

Montoya did note that this year's reporting period was a day longer than normal because New Year's fell on a weekend. The extra day might help explain higher numbers in L.A. and Orange counties, but it makes San Diego County's slight drop a bit puzzling.

Bottom line: "You can't generalize," Montoya said. "Every area is going to be different."