Two individuals found themselves facing DUI charges following a sobriety checkpoint operation conducted by the Escondido Police Department yesterday. According to the details released by the department, one of the drivers was additionally charged with cocaine possession. The checkpoint, which took place on San Pasqual Valley Road and Oak Hill Drive from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m., screened 870 vehicles, leading to direct contact with 529 motorists, as per the Escondido Police Department.

Apart from the arrests for driving under the influence, officers cited 12 people for operating a vehicle without a valid driver’s license, while another four were handed citations for driving on a suspended license. The DUI checkpoints, known to target locations with a history of impairment-related accidents actively, aim to ultimately reduce such incidents and significantly promote safety on the roadways. Reports from the department suggest that Escondido residents can expect to see another checkpoint scheduled on Friday, April 18.

The funding for the operation, as is often the case, was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, funneled through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The explicit goal of these grants is to enable local law enforcement agencies to conduct activities that deter individuals from driving while impaired and to increase public awareness about the dangers of impaired driving.