Tuolumne County D.A. Touts DUI Prosecution Unit

Crime - drunk driving

Sonora, CA – The Tuolumne County District Attorney’s Office praises the first quarter results of its new DUI Prosecution Unit while giving an update on its progress.

As reported in October of last year, the D.A.’s office was awarded a $208,238 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to set up a specialized prosecution team focusing on alcohol and drug-impaired driving cases. Titled the “DUI Prosecution Unit,” currently there is just one experienced prosecutor from the District Attorney’s Office in the unit. Today, the D.A.’s office announced the filing and conviction statistics for the unit prosecutor’s first quarter below:

DUI Cases Reviewed: 83

• DUI Cases Filed: 81
• DUI Convictions: 67
• Wet Reckless Convictions: 13

The unit prosecutor racked up those convictions by bringing just one DUI case to trial regarding a defendant accused of driving under the influence of methamphetamine. A jury returned a guilty verdict and the defendant is currently awaiting sentencing.

To increase knowledge and enforcement of DUI offenses, the unit hosted the first quarterly law enforcement roundtable meeting, with attendees from the California Highway Patrol, Sonora Police Department, Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office, and Tuolumne County Probation. The unit prosecutor also attended Standardized Field Sobriety Test training in San Francisco in October.

Funding for the unit runs through September 2025. The District Attorney’s Office says it intends to apply to renew the grant for the following grant year. For more information about the Tuolumne County District Attorney’s DUI Prosecution, please contact Deputy District Attorney Kate Christie at DA@tuolumnecounty.ca.gov.