ESCONDIDO — A checkpoint this weekend resulted in two arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol, and 16 motorists cited for driving without a license, according to the Escondido Police Department.
Four people received citations for driving on a suspended license at the checkpoint, which took place in the evening on April 18 at Centre City Parkway and Decatur Way – directly in front of the Escondido Police Department headquarters.
Between 6 p.m. and midnight, 1,555 vehicles went through the checkpoint, with 638 drivers stopped, according to the EPD.
“DUI checkpoint locations are determined based on reported incidents of impaired driving-related crashes,” EPD officials said. “The primary purpose of DUI checkpoints is to promote public safety by taking suspected
impaired drivers off roads.”
In related news, the EPD said 56 drivers were cited for traffic violations earlier Friday “that commonly lead to crashes, termed ‘primary collision factors.'”
During that operation, held from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., officers stopped 63 motorists.
Police said drivers were cited for cell phone use, driving without a license, signs and signal violations, speeding and unsafe turning movements.
Ryan Banks, interim EPD chief, said the department urges “all motorists to drive with care on every trip.”
“Reducing crashes and ensuring a safe travel experience for everyone is a high priority for the Escondido Police Department,” he added.
The state Office of Traffic Safety, via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, paid for the Friday traffic operations, the EPD said.
The next DUI checkpoint in Escondido is set for June 27.
