Eight Arrested in Santa Maria Checkpoint
By the Santa Maria Police Department
The Santa Maria Police Department arrested 1 driver on suspicion of DUI while conducting a DUI Checkpoint, December 16th, 2022. The checkpoint was held at the 800 block of east Stowell Rd. from 6:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m.
We are committed to taking impaired drivers off the road,driving under the influence is not only dangerous, but also has major consequences.
7 drivers were cited for operating a vehicle unlicensed or with a suspended/revoked license, 196 vehicles were screened, and no drivers were arrested for other criminal charges.
Drivers charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license.
The Santa Maria Police Department will hold additional DUI/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.
8 Comments
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Dec 17, 2022 01:37 PMWow, 196 people had their fourth amendment rights violated by being subjected to unlawful searches. For all that disregard for the constitution, only 1 person was arrested for drunk driving and 7 others were arrested because their travel papers were not in order. If the philosophy behind conducting illegal searches is that it achieves so much good that it’s justified to violate people’s rights, I’d say this checkpoint failed to live up to even that flawed standard.
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Dec 17, 2022 02:47 PMNothing unlawful about it, except what the cited drivers did.
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Dec 17, 2022 02:58 PMThe officers who carried out this checkpoint violated the oaths they took to uphold the constitution. The fourth amendment states:
“ The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
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Dec 17, 2022 03:04 PMGee, no mention of while operating a vehicle or otherwise traveling on a public road. You rabid cons sure do manage to come up with some wildly imaginative "constitutional" rights!
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Dec 17, 2022 06:10 PMDUI Stops in CA are legal: Vehicle Code 2814.2(a) VC requires all drivers to stop and submit to California sobriety checkpoints.
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Dec 17, 2022 02:43 PMAwesome! Get the unlicensed and uninsured OFF our streets... I hope CHIP will one day be involved in an accident with an unlicensed and uninsured driver... NOTHING happens other than you and your insurance company paying for the total car or repair. DRIVIING a CAR is a PRIVILEGE- NOT A RIGHT.
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Dec 18, 2022 11:51 AMOk if the police are looking for drunk drivers why not target bars and watch drivers leaving lower state street? Seems very random to stop drivers who have not been observed breaking any traffic laws. We all see plenty of speeders, tailgaters, cellphone users every time we get behind the wheel, why not stop those obvious law breakers? How many DUI checks are in Hope Ranch or Montecito? See you all at Harry's Plaza. Merry Xmas.
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Dec 22, 2022 08:40 AMOnly real reason for objecting to this is if you are a habitual drunk driver.