BAKERSFIELD. CALIF, (KERO) — The DA’s office and STEPS emphasizes that DUI offenses in Kern County are treated as felonies, with potential prison sentences.
- The Kern County District Attorney's Office received an $800,000+ grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety to fund a specialized DUI prosecution team.
- This year's funding includes an additional $225,000, allowing for an extra prosecutor to handle felony DUI cases.
- Over 3,000 DUI cases were prosecuted last year, with a significant rise in drug-related DUIs, including meth, marijuana, and fentanyl.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Driving under the influence can cause major consequences. The Kern County District Attorney’s office received a grant to fund a specialized prosecution team.
The DA's office received a grant for a little over 800,000 dollars from the California Office of Traffic Safety. This is the 13th year the DA’s office has received funding, but this year is a little different.
Supervising Deputy DA's Office of Traffic Safety William Schlaerth says, “were getting 225,000 thousand dollars more in this grant that's going to pay for an additional prosecutor in the OTS unit to do felony prosecutions of DUI crimes.”
The DA's office says the extra investigator and the extra prosecutor are cost the people of Kern County do not have to pay for.
“Part of the reason we got the kick up of the extra 225,000 dollars is because there is such a prevalence of impaired driving in this county and our office is in business to stop that.” Deputy Schlaerth said.
There are many consequences that come with drinking and driving say both the DA's office and STEPS.
STEPS is driving program, that helps people regain driving privileges. They offer individual or group counseling, group education, and they have an outreach program.
The program director at STEPS Adam Dorado says, “it is very expensive, it not only affects their lives personally, but it can affect someone else life it can affect their future as far as opportunists or their jobs if it be relationships.”
Dorado says, it's better to call a car service or a friend.
The DA’s office says last year the prosecution team filled over 3,000 DUI cases including 300, DUI drug cases, and 100 combined drug and alcohol cases.
“Alcohol is the most common, but we are seeing a lot methamphetamine, marijuana, and fentanyl were also seeing those drugs combined with alcohol.” Deputy Schlaerth said.
The DA"s office says if you drink and drive in this county it is a felony, and you can go to prison.
This grant runs through September of 2025.
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