Murrieta Police Checkpoint Nets 2 Alleged DUI Drivers

Two people were arrested Friday night on suspicion of DUI when the Murrieta Police Department held a checkpoint.

A total of 792 vehicles passed through the DUI/driver’s license checkpoint that was held between 8:50 p.m. Friday and 2:30 a.m. Saturday on Margarita Road just north of Torrey Pines Road, targeting drivers heading toward Murrieta Hot Springs Road.

The Murrieta Police Department Traffic Unit screened 651 of the drivers who passed through; of those, 30 were pulled into a secondary area for further investigation, Murrieta police Sgt. Jim Gruwell stated in a news release.

Four of those drivers were cited on suspicion of driving on a suspended license, three on suspicion of driving without a driver's license; two were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.

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

“Murrieta PD will be conducting future DUI/Drivers License Checkpoints and/or DUI Saturation Patrols in our ongoing commitment to lowering deaths and injuries upon our streets and highways,” Gruwell stated.

Meanwhile, on Friday, a man positioned himself about a half-mile south of the checkpoint, holding a sign advising motorists of what was ahead.

Some cars honked and a few went a different route to avoid the checkpoint.

The man, who identified himself as Ted but declined to provide his last name, said he makes it a point to hold the sign at area checkpoints when his schedule allows because, in his opinion, checkpoints are a contradiction to the normal procedure of police stopping people on reasonable suspicion.

“My purpose is to allow the population to have a choice, to exercise free will,” Ted said. “I am neutral in a sense; my sign doesn’t tell you not to go, that is a decision you have to make on your own.”