It’s the holiday season-don’t drive under the influence!
December 15, 2011 at 1:30 PM
It's the holiday season-don't drive under the influence!
This holiday season and throughout the year, the Deschutes County District Attorney's Office and local law enforcement encourages you to NOT drive under the influence of alcohol, drugs or prescription medicine. Remember, being impaired or “buzzed” in any way is considered “being under the influence”.
Anyone arrested for Driving Under the Influence/Impairment ( DUII) will be prosecuted. Prosecution incurs significant costs and other consequences such as; the loss of a driver’s license, requirement to attend on-going court hearings, mandatory substance or alcohol treatment, attending the DUII victims’ impact panel and the serious impact an arrest has on family members. DUII offenders also have to deal with the stigma of being arrested for a crime.
Nationally in 2009, there was an alcohol-impaired driving fatality every 48 minutes. In some instances victims are hurt or killed while riding in the vehicle with the DUII driver, others are innocent bystanders or are other drivers on the road. In 2009, there were 141 alcohol-impaired fatalities across Oregon. Nearly 1,000 people in Central Oregon have been arrested this year in DUII-related driving incidents.
The Deschutes County DA's Office handles the prosecution of DUII cases. When there is injury or death as a result of these cases, the DA's Victims' Assistance Program provides information, emotional support, and resource referrals to victims and survivors during the criminal justice system process.
For more information about Deschutes County Victims' Assistance programs, please contact Victims’ Assistance Program Director Diane Stecher with the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office at (541) 317-3186 or send email to victimsassistance@deschutes.org .