Police will conduct a Saint Patrick’s Day weekend DUI and drivers license checkpoint in Citrus Heights, authorities announced in a news release on Wednesday.
The checkpoint will be held at “an undisclosed location” in the city between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m., beginning Friday night, March 17, and continuing through early Saturday morning.
Police said the operation will include officers briefly stopping vehicles to look for signs of alcohol and drug impairment, as well as checking drivers for proper licensing. Officers will also be on scene to evaluate those suspected of drug-impaired driving, which can include many prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications, according to the news release.
A prior checkpoint held in December on Antelope Road stopped a total of 1,033 vehicles and led to three arrests and 10 citations for various violations, police previously told The Sentinel. No DUI arrests were made, but Police Lt. Jason Russo said one individual was arrested at the checkpoint for a felony warrant, another for a stolen vehicle, and a third person was arrested for “burglary tools, drugs, and probation violations.”
Additionally, four vehicles were impounded and citations were issued for violations that included driving without a license or driving with a suspended license.
Want local police logs? See CHPD logs for March 9-15th
The Citrus Heights Police Department says it announces DUI operations in advance as a public awareness tool to help deter drivers from getting behind the wheel drunk in the first place. The department also regularly deploys “DUI saturation patrols,” which specifically search for, and pull over, drivers showing signs of intoxication.
Funding for CHPD’s checkpoints comes from a California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) grant, through the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration. CHPD was awarded a $145,000 OTS grant last year to help fund a year-long program of safety-related efforts, with a focus on DUI checkpoints and saturation patrols.
