San Rafael, CA -- Those arrested for DUI in Marin County, especially repeat offenders and those involved in fatal or injury crashes, can expect to face highly trained, specialized prosecutors, thanks to a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety. The $388,726 grant to the Marin County District Attorney’s Office will fund a Vertical Prosecution team that will work cases from arrest through sentencing.
"This grant has greatly impacted how we prosecute these unfortunately all too common crimes," said District Attorney Edward Berberian. "It has given the Marin County District Attorney's Office the tools we need to effectively prosecute serial DUI drivers, and we are grateful that the Office of Traffic Safety has renewed our funding for the upcoming fiscal year."
Funding from this DUI Prosecution Grant will aid the District Attorney's Office in handling cases throughout each step of the criminal process, prosecuting both alcohol and drug-impaired driving cases.
The Vertical Prosecution team members will work with the State’s Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor to obtain specialized training, including training in the emerging problem of drug-impaired driving. Team members will share information with peers and law enforcement personnel throughout the county and across the state.
The purpose of the program is to prevent impaired driving and reduce alcohol and drug-impaired traffic fatalities and injuries. In 2013 there were four deaths and 94 serious injuries as a result of DUI crashes in Marin County.
Funding for the program comes from a grant by the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.