DUI grant award to Fresno County District Attorney’s Office

The California Office of Traffic Safety awarded Fresno County District Attorney’s Office a grant that will fund a specialized prosecution team.

With the $566,153 grant, the team may respond to the scene of fatal and major injury DUI collisions and be part of the investigation from arrest to sentencing.

The 2015 grant allowed the prosecution team to file 123 felony and misdemeanor cases of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

The program’s purpose is to make streets safer by preventing impaired driving and traffic fatalities and prosecuting drunken drivers.

In 2013, DUI crashes in the county resulted in 43 deaths and 448 serious injuries.

“When there is a trained, seasoned and committed team working serious DUI cases, prosecutors get the positive results needed,” said OTS Director Rhonda Craft.

This story was originally published October 14, 2016 at 7:44 PM with the headline "DUI grant award to Fresno County District Attorney’s Office."