Anti-Drunk Driving Effort Yields 1st Arrest

Investigators working in an aggressive new program that tracks down the “worst of the worst” among drunk drivers made their first arrest: a man with six previous drunk driving convictions whose license had been revoked, authorities said Thursday.

Ronald Cram, 52, of Santa Ana was arrested less than a block from his home in the 2700 block of West Edinger Avenue, Officer Greg Maciha said.

“And again, he was under the influence,” said Maciha, who stopped the vehicle Cram was driving.

On Wednesday, an anonymous caller who had read about the program told police that Cram was a chronic drunk driver.

“We confirmed that he did have a revoked license and several previous cases,” Maciha said. “Then we set up a surveillance of his home.”

Cram was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and with a revoked license. His arrest was the first in a program funded by a $374,000 state grant targeting more than 300 people who repeatedly drink and drive, police said.

The program is among the first in the country and was implemented in Santa Ana partly because the city has more alcohol-related arrests and injury accidents per square mile than any other Orange County city, authorities said.