Accused DUI Drivers in Redlands, Loma Linda to Face Tougher Prosecution

People caught driving under the influence in Redlands and Loma Linda can expect some tough prosecution, as the district attorney's office promises a new crack down on these sorts of cases.

"Those arrested for DUI in San Bernardino County, especially repeat offenders and those involved in fatal or injury crashes, can expect to face highly trained, specialized prosecutors, thanks to a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety," a press release from the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office said Thursday.

The office received a grant totaling $230,000, which they say will fund a new "vertical prosecution team" that will closely follow DUI cases through the judicial process, from arrest through sentencing, according to Public Affairs Officer Christopher Lee. 

Lee says that this new prosecution team will handle both alcohol and drug-impaired driving cases, adding that its purpose is to prevent drivers from hitting the roads in those conditions.

"In fatal and major injury DUI vehicle collisions, members of the team may even start by going to the crash scene to be part of the investigation," Lee said.

Lee also said this new team will:

• "...Work with the State’s Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Program to increase the capabilities of the team and the office by obtaining and delivering specialized training, including training in the emerging problem of drug-impaired driving."
• "...Share information with peers and law enforcement personnel throughout the county and across the state."

"DUI can be a violent, tragic crime," Christopher J. Murphy, Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety, is quoted as saying in the DA's press release.  "This special team will help insure that no one falls through the cracks, and that the worst-of-the-worst offenders face a highly skilled, dedicated prosecutor."

According to the website crimemapping.com, which both Redlands and Loma Linda police use to log crimes in the cities, there have been 170 DUI arrests in by the two agencies in the last six months alone.

In Loma Linda, there were 35 people nabbed for DUI between June 16 and Dec. 13, while in Redlands, 145 drivers were cited for DUI, according to data from the site.