Santa Maria police issue 10 citations at DUI checkpoint

August 12, 2024

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

While conducting a DUI checkpoint Saturday night, Santa Maria police officers arrested no intoxicated drivers but did issue 10 citations for driving without a license.

The Santa Maria Police Department held a DUI checkpoint in the 500 block of E. Main Street from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday evening through early Sunday morning. A total of 527 vehicles came through the checkpoint with police screening 267 drivers.

Officers did not arrest anyone for any type of criminal offense. However, police cited 10 drivers for operating a vehicle unlicensed or with a suspended or revoked license.

Santa Maria police will hold more DUI and driver’s license checkpoints in the upcoming months. Funding for this checkpoint was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Drivers caught driving impaired and charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license. 

 


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Santa Maria is very tolerant to the non-documented population. Sadly, I see them running stop signs too. If there were regular check points, there would be a outcry over discrimination. I have seen this happen in Maricopa; on the City Board Meeting agenda the Police Chief was accused of being a racist. His only comment to the Board was, “the radar he uses does not recognize race”.