2nd DUI Checkpoint In Palm Desert Nets 1 Arrest, 18 Citations

PALM DESERT, CA — A DUI checkpoint this past weekend in Palm Desert resulted in one DUI arrest and 18 citations issued to drivers who did not have a valid license, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

The checkpoint, operated by deputies from the Palm Desert Sheriff's Station, was held from 6 p.m. Friday until 2 a.m. Saturday at Monterey Avenue and Country Club Drive, the department reported.

A total of 994 vehicles were screened, according to the sheriff's department.

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

The weekend's checkpoint follows one conducted from 6 p.m. March 31 to 2 a.m. April 1 at Fred Waring Drive and Portola Avenue. In that operation conducted by sheriff's deputies, two people were arrested for allegedly driving under the influence and 14 motorists were cited for driving without a valid license.

Drivers convicted of a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.

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