Reporting Deputy: Sergeant Tom Anderson
File # N/A
Update:
One Arrested for DUI and 13 Cited at Coachella DUI Checkpoint
Coachella, Calif. – On May 5, 2023, one person was arrested for DUI, one person attested for narcotics violations, one person arrested for delaying or resisting a peace officer, two people were cited for driving on a suspended license, and 13 people were cited for being an unlicensed driver, at a DUI checkpoint on May 5, 2023.
The DUI checkpoint was held at Cesar Chavez Street and Avenue 50 from 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
640 vehicles were contacted, 29 vehicles were subjected to secondary screening, and 5 field sobriety tests were conducted. Volunteers from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.) were on scene and provided informational material to the public.
- Mario Antonio Gonzalez Alvarado, 19 years of Coachella, was arrested for DUI alcohol.
- Daniel Pina, 52 years of Indio was arrested for being in possession of methamphetamine and a felony narcotic warrant.
- Luis Angel Gutierrez Aranda, 28 years of Coachella, was arrested for delaying or resisting a peace officer and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license for DUI.
DUI checkpoint locations are determined based on reported incidents of impaired driving-related crashes. The primary purpose of DUI checkpoints is to promote public safety by taking suspected impaired drivers off roads.
Funding for this checkpoint was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Details:
Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, Thermal Station, Holding Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Checkpoint May 05, 2023
Coachella, Calif. – On May 05, 2023, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, Thermal Station, will conduct a driving under the influence (DUI) Checkpoint from 6:00 PM to 2:00 AM at an undisclosed location within the city of Coachella.
DUI checkpoint locations are determined based on data showing incidents of impaired driving-related crashes. The primary purpose of DUI checkpoints is to promote public safety by taking suspected impaired drivers off the road.
“Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk,” Deputy Yadira Perez said. “Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improves traffic safety.”
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.
Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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