27 Suspected Drunk Drivers Arrested

Between Wednesday and Saturday nights, 27 people in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties were arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.

The California Highway Patrol arrested 23 drivers in Ventura County and four in Santa Barbara County between 6 p.m. Wednesday and 6 p.m. Saturday.

Those arrested included a 22-year-old man who crashed his truck on Foothill Road near Ventura early Thursday, killing three of five friends who were riding with him. The driver, Tom Mercer Jr. of Santa Paula, was in critical but stable condition Saturday at a Ventura hospital. He also was being held on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter.