Anthony W. Haddad
The Millennial View

Another crash. Another headline. Another set of names we’ll forget by next week.

On May 2, a Range Rover ran a red light in central Fresno. Behind the wheel was Jagat Singh, 28, who authorities say was under the influence and stole the vehicle he was driving. The crash killed Maddux Greene, 18, and Jordan Galvez, 19. A third teen was injured. Singh now faces two counts of murder.

And yet — Fresno barely blinked.

We live in a city where drunk driving isn’t just common. It’s normalized. We scroll past fatal DUI crashes like they’re routine traffic updates. We post “thoughts and prayers” but rarely outrage. We watch repeat DUI offenders — some with five priors — continue to drive, crash, and walk away. It’s gotten so bad, some of us — myself included — avoid driving after dark if it’s at all possible.

What more does it take for us to say this isn’t just tragic — it’s a crisis?

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Fresno, You Can Only Avoid the Law for so Long

Last year, Fresno police made nearly 600 DUI arrests. This year, they’re already closing in on 200. And those are just the ones they caught.

Police have also conducted nine DUI saturation operations and four DUI checkpoints in 2025 — with another one happening this weekend.

Think you can avoid them? There are 860 Fresno police officers ready to prove you wrong.

So far this year, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office has filed 1,879 misdemeanor DUIs and 120 felony DUIs. On top of those, there were two DUI manslaughter cases and five DUI homicide filings — bringing the total to 127 felony DUI charges in just a few months.

Luckily, we have the “Watson Advisement” — a formal warning given to individuals convicted of a DUI, letting them know that if they drive drunk again and kill someone, they can be charged with murder.

The fact that we even need the advisement causes me mental anguish.

We have to spell it out: If you do this again and someone dies, it’s not just an accident — it’s murder. That’s how often this happens. So often that the justice system had to create an official advisement, just to make it crystal clear to repeat offenders.

We have a drinking culture that shrugs at accountability. A California justice system, strangled by legislative loopholes, that somehow keeps putting the same offenders back behind the wheel. And a community that has become desensitized to its own grief. We treat DUIs like an unfortunate side effect of nightlife — not the reckless, preventable violence that it is.

We should be livid. Instead, we’re numb.

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Fresno, Let’s Do the Math

Why is our DUI problem so bad? Part of me thinks it’s because Fresno isn’t a walkable city — driving feels like the only option. But we have Uber. Lyft. Sober friends. So why don’t we use them? Is it the cost?

If spending $50 at the bar fits your budget but a $20 Uber doesn’t, let’s break that down.

According to the Fresno Police Department, a first-time DUI costs an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties — plus a suspended license.

So: $13,500 divided by $20. That’s 675 Uber rides. You could go out nearly every weekend for 13 years and still not spend as much as you would on a single DUI.

Cut that in half if you’re taking an Uber both ways. That’s still more than six years of round-trip rides.

And that doesn’t include the cost of a destroyed car, a ruined reputation, or someone’s life.

That $20 Uber you refused? It could’ve saved you from a murder charge.

Yes, driving feels easier. You don’t have to wait the unbearable 10 minutes for a ride (cue sarcasm). But ask yourself: Is avoiding a short wait really worth the risk of taking someone’s child, someone’s parent, someone’s best friend off this Earth?

Do Not Become a Headline

Even though these crashes happen constantly — far more often than the news covers — we still treat this as normal. Reporters can’t possibly cover every DUI arrest in Fresno. There are too many. Most only make the news if someone ends up dead, injured, or with a pile of twisted metal behind them.

And still, this culture continues.

So what do we do? How do we actually keep drunk drivers off the streets?

We stop pretending this is a problem only cops and courts can fix. This is our problem — Fresno’s problem — and it needs more than arrests and court dates. It needs a mindset shift.

Let’s start by holding each other accountable. Call out the behavior. The same way we reject racism, sexism, and homophobia, we need to treat drunk driving like the selfish, violent act it is. No more “they’ll be fine.” No more “it’s just a short drive.” No more brushing it off like it’s a bad habit people grow out of.

If you’re hosting, take the keys. Offer the couch. Text a sober friend. If you own or work at a bar, be part of the solution. Encourage rideshare. Cut off the clearly intoxicated. Normalize caring.

And to our city and county leaders — step up. We’ve poured billions into buildings and roads. Where is that same urgency when it comes to saving lives? Fund education campaigns. Toughen laws for repeat offenders. Make our public transportation more accessible. Expand use of ignition interlock devices. Invest in prevention — not just cleanup.

Because there will be a next time. Another crash. Another headline. Another pair of names we’ll forget — unless it’s someone we know. Someone we love. Someone who just wanted to make it home.

Fresno, we need to snap out of it.

Being numb is no longer an excuse and being silent makes us complicit.

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