On January 9, 2026, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department conducted a DUI checkpoint in Palm Desert at Monterey Avenue and Country Club Drive. The operation took place from 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
During the checkpoint, authorities made no arrests for driving under the influence. However, 13 individuals were cited for being unlicensed drivers, one person was cited for driving with a suspended license, and six others received citations for various traffic violations.
According to the department, officers contacted a total of 772 vehicles during the operation. Of these, 45 vehicles were directed to secondary screening. No field sobriety tests were administered throughout the evening.
“DUI checkpoint locations are determined based on reported incidents of impaired driving-related crashes. The primary purpose of DUI checkpoints is to promote public safety by taking suspected impaired drivers off roads,” according to information provided by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
The program was funded through a grant from the Office of Traffic Safety Grant Program.
For further information about this incident, media representatives are advised to contact the Media Information Bureau. Those interested in employment opportunities with the department can visit joinrso.org or call 1-888-Join-RSD.
