Authorities arrested four people on suspicion of driving under the influence among other offenses, and over 50 people were given citations following DUI checkpoints in Rancho Mirage and San Jacinto, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department announced Saturday.
Deputies conducted a checkpoint in Rancho Mirage at Highway 111 and Library Way from 6 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday. The results yielded one person arrested on suspicion of DUI, 17 people cited for driving without a license and one person cited for driving with a suspended license, officials said.
The sheriff’s San Jacinto station conducted a checkpoint at State Street, north of Seventh Street, from 8 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday.
Sgt. Patrick Lynch said three people were arrested for “miscellaneous misdemeanors,” 27 citations were issued for driving without a license, five citations were issued for driving on a suspended license, six miscellaneous citations were issued for traffic infractions and eight vehicles were impounded during the checkpoint.
The checkpoint locations were determined based on data on reported incidents of impaired-related crashes.
Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face approximately $13,500 in fines and penalties, and a suspended license, the department said.
Funding for the checkpoints were provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the national Highway Traffic Safety Administration.