27 Drivers Cited, 5 Arrested During Palm Desert DUI Checkpoint

PALM DESERT, CA — Five people were arrested and 27 drivers were cited at a Palm Desert DUI checkpoint that was in operation over the weekend, according to authorities.

The checkpoint staffed by Riverside County Sheriff's Department deputies took place from 6 p.m. Dec. 1 to 2 a.m. Dec. 2 at Monterey Avenue and Country Club Drive.

During the operation, four people were arrested for DUI and one person was arrested on a felony warrant for drug sales. Another 27 motorists were cited for driving without a valid license, according to the sheriff's department.

During the operation, 909 vehicles were stopped and 18 field sobriety tests were conducted, the sheriff's department reported.

"DUI checkpoint locations are determined based on reported incidents of impaired driving-related crashes," according to the agency. "The primary purpose of DUI checkpoints is to promote public safety by taking suspected impaired drivers off roads."

Funding for the checkpoint was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.