By SDCN Staff
San Diego, CA–San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced that her office is receiving a $950,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety to prevent and prosecute DUI fatality cases.
The annual grant award, which the DA has received for 12 years in a row, comes as the number of San Diego County fatal DUI cases increases.
In 2024, the DA’s office filed charges against 23 DUI drivers responsible for 28 deaths. This year, 22 DUI drivers have been charged with 23 deaths.
“This grant allows our office to continue funding a dedicated team of prosecutors and investigators focused on holding impaired drivers accountable and preventing future tragedies,” DA Stephan said. “Every year, we see far too many lives lost to DUI crashes. As the holiday season approaches, I urge everyone to make responsible choices. Use a rideshare, call a friend, and never let someone drive if they’ve been drinking or using drugs.”
When someone kills another person while DUI, they may be charged with vehicular manslaughter, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, or even second-degree murder, which carries a penalty of up to 15 years to life in prison. The number of second-degree murder cases involving DUI drivers filed by the DA’s office increased this year, in large part due to the number of repeat DUI offenders responsible for these fatalities.
In 2025, the DA’s office filed second-degree murder charges against 13 DUI drivers. By comparison, in 2024, the DA’s office filed second-degree murder charges against only 5 drivers.
The grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety will allow the DA’s DUI Homicide Unit to continue its critical work, including education and prevention efforts in the community. The specialized unit, launched in 2014, has prosecuted hundreds of cases and has received approximately $6 million in funding from the Office of Traffic Safety.
Funding will also be used to:
Provide education for young drivers about the dangers of DUI-driving.
Provide training for prosecutors and investigators through California’s Traffic Safety.
Resource Prosecutor Program, as well as San Diego County-specific training.
Host quarterly regional meetings with law enforcement partners to improve DUI investigations and prosecutions.
In 2024, the District Attorney’s Office filed 4,389 DUI cases, including 280 DUI drug cases. As of October 29, the DA’s Office has filed 9,405 DUI cases, including 426 DUI drug cases this year. Many of these numbers are significant increases from years past.
Funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety is provided through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The grant program runs through September 2026.
DA’s Office to receive grant to prevent, prosecute DUI fatality cases
