Crime & Safety

DUI Checkpoint Scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend

The California Highway Patrol is planning a DUI checkpoint for this Friday, May 25.

Editor's Note:  Results are in from this checkpoint.  Read that story here.  Original story as follows.

The California Highway Patrol has scheduled a DUI checkpoint for this Memorial Day weekend, it was announced Wednesday.

The checkpoint will be held this Friday at an undisclosed location in the Hemet/San Jacinto area, according to CHP spokesman Darren Meyer. 

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It's scheduled to go from 9 p.m. through 3 a.m.

"The sobriety checkpoint will be conducted by numerous CHP Officers who are highly trained in the detection of alcohol and / or drug impaired drivers," Meyer said.  "Officers will also be equipped with handheld breath testing devices which provide an accurate measure of blood-alcohol concentration of suspected drunk drivers."

Find out what's happening in Banning-Beaumontwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Those to be found driving under the influence will be arrested on the spot and booked into the Banning or Murrieta jail, the officer added. 

Besides the scheduled checkpoint, officers will be on the streets looking for drunk drivers as the Memorial Day weekend is a "maximum enforcement period."  According to Meyer:

Memorial Day weekend in 2011 saw a significant increase in the number of people killed in collisions. According to CHP statistics, there were 24 deaths statewide, a 41 percent increase from the previous year, and 60 percent of those killed were not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. There were 1,367 arrests for driving under the influence statewide in CHP jurisdiction during the holiday weekend.

Funding for the DUI checkpoint is provided by state and federal grants.


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