The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office has received a $705,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety to support its specialized DUI prosecution team, officials announced Friday.

The funding will help the team handle alcohol- and drug-impaired driving cases that result in major injuries or fatalities. The grant program runs through September 2026.

“Impaired driving remains a serious and persistent threat on our roadways, especially when individuals drive under the influence of both alcohol and drugs,” Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp said. “This funding strengthens our ability to pursue justice for victims, improve roadway safety, and ensure these cases are handled with the highest level of expertise.”

DUIs Are a Huge California Problem

A recent CalMatters investigation revealed that alcohol-related roadway deaths in California have shot up by more than 50% in the past decade. That’s an increase more than twice as steep as the rest of the country, federal estimates showed. More than 1,300 people die each year statewide in drunken collisions, and thousands more are injured.

The DUI prosecution team will also work with the statewide Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Training Program to train prosecutors and investigators and collaborate with law enforcement on best practices for handling DUI cases, the DA’s office said.

This marks the 22nd consecutive year the office has received Office of Traffic Safety funding for its specialized DUI program.

Last year, the team filed 221 DUI cases, including 14 involving drugs and 12 combined alcohol-and-drug cases. Sixteen of those cases involved fatal crashes.

Funding for the program comes from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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