RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENTSheriff Chad Bianco |
Press Release: | DUI/Driver License Checkpoint |
Station Area: | Thermal Station |
Written Date: | March 14, 2020 | Time: | 2:25 AM |
Incident Date: | March 13, 2020 | Time: |
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Incident Location: | Undisclosed, City of La Quinta |
Reporting Officer: | Sergeant Chris Olsen |
File Number(s): | N/A |
Udpate:
La Quinta, Ca. - Riverside County Sheriff’s Department made 2 DUI arrests while conducting a DUI/Driver’s License checkpoint on March 13, 2020. An additional driver was arrested for driving on a suspended license and for a probation violation. The checkpoint was in the 47-000 block of Washington Street in the southbound lanes. The checkpoint was from 7:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.
Details:
La Quinta, Calif. – La Quinta Sheriff’s Station will be conducting a DUI/Driver License Checkpoint on March 13, 2020, at an undisclosed location within the city limits, between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m.
DUI Checkpoints like this one are placed in locations based on collision statistics and frequency of DUI arrests. Officers will be looking for signs of alcohol and/or drug impairment, as well as checking drivers for proper licensing.
La Quinta Sheriff’s Station reminds drivers that “DUI Doesn’t Just Mean Booze.” If you take prescription drugs, particularly those with a driving or operating machinery warning on the label, you might be impaired enough to get a DUI. Marijuana can also be impairing, especially in combination with alcohol or other drugs, and can result in a DUI.
In 2018, over 1,300 people were killed in alcohol-involved crashes on California roads. In the last two years, La Quinta Sheriff’s Station investigated 59 DUI collisions which have claimed 2 lives and resulted in another 21 injuries.
La Quinta Sheriff’s Station offers these reminders to ensure you have a safe night of fun that doesn’t involve a DUI:
- Always use a designated sober driver – a friend who is not drinking, ride-share, cab or public transportation – to get home.
- See someone who is clearly impaired try and drive? Take the keys and help them make other arrangements to find a sober way home.
- Report drunk drivers – Call 911.
- Hosting a party? Offer nonalcoholic drinks. Monitor who are drinking and how they are getting home.
Getting home safely is cheap, but getting a DUI is not! Drivers caught driving impaired and charged with DUI can expect the impact of a DUI arrest to be upwards of $13,500. This includes fines, fees, DUI classes, license suspension and other expenses not to mention possible jail time.
Funding for this checkpoint is provided to La Quinta Sheriff’s Station by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.


The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department is seeking applicants for Deputy Sheriff, Deputy Sheriff Trainee, Correctional Deputy, Sheriff’s 911 Communications Officer, and other employment opportunities such as clerical and support positions. If you are interested in a career with us, please apply our recruiting page or call 1-888-Join-RSD |