Arroyo Grande police holding DUI checkpoint Saturday night

May 17, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

Arroyo Grande police plan to conduct a DUI checkpoint in the South County city at an undisclosed location on Saturday evening from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Officers select the DUI checkpoint location based on a history of DUI crashes and arrests. Officers check licenses and insurance while looking for signs of impairment.

“Impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk,” said Michael Martinez, chief of police. “Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improves traffic safety.”

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.

The Arroyo Grande Police Department reminds the public that impaired driving is not only because of alcohol. Certain prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs may interfere with driving, police said. Likewise, while medicinal and recreational marijuana are legal, driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.

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