District Attorney Awarded Office of Traffic Safety DUI Prosecution Grant
For the seventh straight year, District Attorney Tim Ward is pleased to announce the award of a California Office of Traffic Safety Grant to help prosecute cases of driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. The $215,128 grant will continue to fund a Vertical Prosecution team through September 2024, primarily for felony DUI with injury cases, as well as attorney training. The Vertical Prosecution model allows a prosecutor to see the case through from start to finish.
In addition to funding the special prosecution team, funding will be used to develop protocols for handling cases through every step of the criminal process, provide training for prosecutors and investigators through the statewide Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Program (TSRP), and host quarterly regional meetings with law enforcement partners to improve DUI investigations and prosecutions.
Under the 2022 – 2023 Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driver Vertical Prosecution Program grant, 2,850 total DUI cases were filed by the Office of the District Attorney – 2,424 alcohol only, 270 drug only, and 156 combination drug and alcohol. The Vertical TCDA DUI prosecutor filed 121 cases, focusing on incidents of felony repeat offenders and DUI resulting in injury or death.
“Unfortunately, our office saw an increase in DUI case filings from last year. DUI is an incredibly tragic and preventable crime, and those who live and work in Tulare County know all too well its deadly consequences,” said Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward. “We are again grateful to the California Office of Traffic Safety for recognizing the ability of prosecutors to guide families who have been deeply affected by DUI through the criminal justice system.”
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Media inquiries can be directed to the Office of the District Attorney, County of Tulare
Public Information Officer Stuart Anderson (559) 636-5494