DUI Checkpoint Snares 24 Drivers In Winchester

WINCHESTER, CA — A DUI checkpoint held over the weekend in Winchester resulted in 23 citations and 1 DUI arrest, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department announced.

The checkpoint was set up on Winchester Road, north of Roripough Road, from 7 p.m. Friday to 1 a.m. Saturday. Deputies stopped 1,388 vehicles during the operation. Twenty-three drivers were cited for being unlicensed or driving with a suspended/revoked license. Twelve drivers were given field sobriety tests and one was arrested for driving under the influence, according to the sheriff's department.

"Checkpoint locations are based on a history of crashes and DUI arrests. The primary purpose of checkpoints is not to make arrests, but to promote public safety by deterring drivers from driving impaired," the sheriff's department reported.

Deputies who conducted the operation were stationed out of the Southwest Sheriff's Station.

The department reminded the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving.

"Always follow directions for use and read warning labels about driving or operating heavy machinery, which includes driving a car. While medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal," the department said.

Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license, according to the department.

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