RIVERSIDE DUI ATTORNEY - DUI LAWYER RIVERSIDE COUNTY
ATTORNEY MICHAEL REHM
FREE CONSULTAITONS - (800) 978-0754
While arrests in Riverside County for driving under the influence (DUI) have declined in recent years, it is always wise to avoid driving after drinking. More than two drinks in an hour and more than one additional drink during each subsequent hour will put most people over the limit.
Keep in mind that following a rule of thumb does not protect against a DUI prosecution. Your weight, food consumption, gender, and body chemistry all play a role in the measurement of your blood alcohol content. You might feel fine and still be arrested for a DUI in Riverside County. When that happens, you need a DUI defense attorney.
Riverside County DUI Arrests
About 6,000 drivers were arrested for DUI in Riverside County during the most recent year for which statistics are available. For every 200 residents in Riverside County, the police arrested one driver for DUI. That figure is the same as the statewide DUI arrest rate in California.
The police arrested 581 drivers for DUI in the City of Riverside. Other large cities in Riverside County also accounted for a significant number of DUI arrests. The police arrested 384 drivers in Moreno Valley, 316 drivers in Corona, and 283 drivers in Murrieta.
Palm Springs had 277 DUI arrests, giving it the second-highest DUI arrest rate in California for a city of its size. Other cities in Riverside County with at least 150 DUI arrests include Temecula (267), Menifee (160), Indio (150), Hemet (150), Perris (181), Lake Elsinore (162), and Palm Desert (174).
Nearly all DUI arrests in Riverside County involve drivers who are accused of driving with a prohibited alcohol concentration. Only about 2% of Riverside County DUI arrests involve accusations of driving under the influence of a drug. The statewide average is closer to 5%.
Riverside County DUI Prosecutions
Of the approximately 6,000 DUI prosecutions each year in Riverside County, prosecutors obtain DUI convictions in only 72.1% of their cases. That's a slightly lower conviction rate than the statewide average.
How do drivers avoid a conviction? They start by hiring an attorney.
About 6% of drivers who are charged with DUI in Riverside County are convicted of a different offense. The most common plea bargain involves a conviction of “wet reckless,” a form of reckless driving that carries no automatic license suspension. Fines and jail sentences are usually less onerous when a driver is convicted of wet reckless. For more information on Wet Reckless offenses, click here.
Riverside County DUI Procedures
Most DUI charges in Riverside County are filed in the Riverside County Superior Court. Many of those cases are heard at the Riverside Hall of Justice at 4100 Main Street in Riverside. Other locations where cases might be heard include:
- Banning Justice Center at 311 E. Ramsey Street in Banning
- Blythe Courthouse at 265 N. Broadway in Blythe
- Larson Justice Center at 46-200 Oasis Street in Indio
- Southwest Justice Center at 30755-D Auld Road in Murrieta
After their arrest, drivers will receive a notice telling them when and where to appear in court. Drivers should provide that notice to their lawyer immediately.
The median time it take to resolve a DUI in Riverside County, from date of arrest to date of disposition, is 124 days if the charge involves driving under the influence of alcohol. If the driver is charged with driving under the influence of drugs, the median time increases to 166 days. Since driving under the influence of drugs is a more difficult charge to prove, it is more often contested. Contesting a charge increases the time to resolve it.
For more information on how Attorney Rehm can help with your DUI cases, call (800) 978-0754 for a free, confidential consultation and learn about the law and the big picture with DUI cases in California.