780 Cars Screened During Coachella Checkpoint

COACHELLA —Five people were arrested for driving under the influence during a checkpoint here on March 29, according to Sgt. Tom Anderson of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.

Those arrested were:

  • Robert Carlos Gutierrez Castillo, 37 of Indio
  • Rebecca Mendez, 34 of Mecca
  • Cassandra Murillo, 26 of Coachella
  • Montserrat Flores Espejel, 43 of Coachella
  • Joy Arguelles, 25 of DeKalb, Ill.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, Thermal Station, conducted a Driving Under the Influence (DUI)/Driver’s License checkpoint on March 29. The checkpoint, which screened 780 cars, was on Cesar Chavez Street, north of Avenue 50, in the city of Coachella, between the hours of 6 p.m. and 2 a.m.

In addition to the DUI arrests, the Checkpoint yielded the following:

  • 11 citations for unlicensed/suspended drivers
  • 1 misdemeanor arrest of resisting or delaying a Peace Officer
  • 1 misdemeanor arrest for public intoxication
  • 1 misdemeanor arrest warrant served
  • 3 citations issued for vehicle code violations
  • 1 vehicle was towed

DUI checkpoint locations are determined based on reported incidents of impaired driving-related crashes. The primary purpose of DUI checkpoints is to promote public safety by taking suspected impaired drivers off roads.

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

Image Sources

  • Drinking: Pixabay