Since impaired drivers endanger lives, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department conducted a recent checkpoint in La Quinta for those driving under the influence, making five arrests.
The checkpoint ran from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday, May 19, in the area of Washington Street and Highland Palms Drive, chosen based on data showing incidences of DUI accidents, Sgt. Kyle LaFond said in a news release. On May 19, one person was arrested for DUI, one person was arrested for public intoxication, one person was arrested for delaying or resisting a peace officer, two people were cited for outstanding warrants and five people were cited for being an unlicensed driver, according to the release.
During this enforcement operation, LaFond said, the Sheriff's Department approached 1,950 vehicles and subjected 34 of them to secondary screening leading to 15 field sobriety tests.
According to the release, those arrested include Jacob Steven Cordova, 28, of La Quinta, charged with driving under the influence of alcohol; Beverly Alexis Rojas, 32, of La Quinta, charged in connection with domestic battery and failure to appear warrant; Hollyann Brown, 35, of Palm Desert, charged on a narcotics warrant; John Bernard Robertson, 49, of Lomita, charged with public intoxication; and Donald Gene Readinger III, 52, of La Quinta, charged with delaying or resisting a peace officer.
The mission of DUI checkpoints, according to LaFond, is to keep residents safe by getting impaired drivers off the roadway.
"Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk," Deputy Robert Wiggs said in a statement. "Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improve traffic safety."
The Riverside County Sheriff's Office took the opportunity to clarify that one can be charged with DUI without touching a drop of alcohol. That's because prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs also can impair a driver in a way that they are under the influence. The same can happen with marijuana regardless of whether it is medicinal or recreational, the release said, adding that driving under the influence of any of these substances is illegal.