Murrieta DUI Checkpoint Scheduled This Weekend

MURRIETA, CA — A DUI checkpoint is scheduled this weekend within Murrieta city limits, and police said the operation will be set up at a location with a "history."

The checkpoint is slated to take place from 7 p.m. Saturday to 2 a.m. Sunday at an undisclosed spot. However, like most DUI checkpoints, this weekend's location will be selected based on "a history of DUI crashes and arrests," according to the Murrieta Police Department.

"The primary purpose of checkpoints is not to make arrests, but to promote public safety by deterring drivers from driving while impaired. During the checkpoint, officers will look for signs that drivers are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs," according to the department.

In addition to alcohol and illegal drugs, motorists can be arrested on suspicion of operating a vehicle under the influence of medications and legal substances that cause impaired driving. Always follow directions for use and read warning labels for medications when “driving or operating heavy machinery,” which includes driving a car, the police department urged.

“The safety of our community is and always will be our mission,” Murrieta Police Chief Tony Conrad said. “We are looking for impaired drivers because driving under the influence is dangerous and puts the driver and others on the road at risk.”

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 police department.

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