11 Arrests Made At Banning DUI Checkpoint

BANNING, CA — The Banning Police Department released its results following a driving under the influence (DUI) Checkpoint, held in the 2400 block of W. Ramsey Street from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday.

A total of 562 vehicles were contacted at the checkpoint, according to Acting Police Captain Brandon Smith.

During the checkpoint, Banning Police Officers made 11 arrests for the following charges:

• driving under the influence (1 arrested),
• driving with a license suspended for a prior DUI (2 arrests),
• felony warrants (1 arrested),
• misdemeanor warrants (7 arrests).

The 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,” Smith said. “Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improve traffic safety.”

The Banning Police Department 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.