Fresno County saw a notable decrease in felony DUI cases in 2024, with fewer cases filed and significantly fewer sentences compared to the previous year, according to data from the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office.

The data provided includes any agency that has done an investigation within Fresno County relating to DUI offenses.

In 2023, law enforcement agencies submitted 337 felony DUI cases and 4,819 misdemeanor DUI cases to the DA’s office. Of those, 310 felony and 4,608 misdemeanor cases were filed, resulting in 129 felony DUI sentences and 2,844 misdemeanor sentences.

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Submissions Dropped Leading to Fewer Sentences

By comparison, 2024 saw a slight decline in submissions, with 316 felony and 4,536 misdemeanor DUIs reported. Of those, 257 felony cases and 3,805 misdemeanors were filed.

Sentencing numbers dropped more sharply, with only 42 felony DUIs sentenced — less than a third of the previous year’s total — while 1,743 misdemeanor cases were sentenced.

In some cases, the offender was among the deceased, making prosecution impossible.

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Some cases categorized under 2024 may have originated in prior years due to delays in submissions by law enforcement, the DA’s office said. For example, a DUI arrest from October 2023 could be submitted to the DA’s office in January 2024, placing it in the 2024 data.

Additionally, the DA’s office often turns down cases for further investigation to ensure they can meet the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Difference Between Felony and Misdemeanor DUIs

DUI charges vary depending on the circumstances.

A misdemeanor DUI typically involves a BAC above 0.08% without significant injuries caused.

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Cases may be elevated to felonies if the offender has prior convictions or if the crash causes great bodily injury, the DA’s office said.

Already in the first month of 2025, eight deaths have been reported from DUI-related crashes in Fresno County.

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