Sonoma County District Attorney Awarded Grant From the Office of Traffic Safety for Specialized DUI Prosecution Team

Santa Rosa, Calif. – District Attorney Jill Ravitch has announced that her office has obtained funds through a $464,132 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to continue a specialized prosecution team that handles alcohol and drug-impaired driving.

“Impaired driving is a growing problem, particularly with drivers suspected of operating a vehicle under the influence of both alcohol and drugs,” District Attorney Jill Ravitch said. “This program allows us to focus specifically on holding those who decide to drive impaired accountable for their dangerous actions.”

The specialized prosecution team will also partner with the statewide Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Training Program (TSRP) to provide training to other prosecutors and investigators, as well as collaborate with law enforcement agencies on best practices handling and managing driving under the influence (DUI) cases.

This is the eleventh year the Sonoma County District Attorney has received funding from the OTS for a specialized (DUI) prosecution program. Last year, the prosecution team filed 856 DUI cases, including 342 DUI drug cases and 50 DUI combined alcohol and drug cases.

The grant program runs through September 2023.  

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.