BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — DUI-related crashes continue to plague Kern County, where hundreds of arrests are made each year and repeat offenders remain a persistent concern.
Earlier this month, 8-year-old Xxavien Hernandez was struck and killed near a food truck by a suspected DUI driver with prior convictions, prompting renewed calls for stronger accountability. A vigil and balloon release were held last weekend to honor the boy, but that vigil was interrupted by another alleged DUI accident.
To curb impaired driving, local law enforcement continues to conduct random DUI checkpoints throughout the county. On Friday, Bakersfield police set up on Union Avenue — one of the city’s busiest corridors — where officers arrested six people on suspicion of DUI.
In one case, a driver attempted to reverse out of the checkpoint, hitting two police motorcycles before officers pulled him from the vehicle.
A breath test later showed the driver’s blood alcohol content was .114.
Lt. Joseph Galland of the Bakersfield Police Department said proactive operations like the checkpoint help prevent crashes that could be deadly. The department has made 679 DUI arrests so far this year, with 11 fatal crashes tied to impaired driving and four more currently under investigation — an increase from last year.
“For everyone that we catch, how many got away with it that day?” Galland said. “Just got lucky and got home.”
Stephanie Hernandez said her son’s death underscores the consequences of leniency for repeat offenders.
“The person who hit my son had two prior convictions and had been arrested prior to that for drunk driving,” she said. “He was let out on bail in May, and had he not been out on bail, my son might still be alive right now.”
According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, about one-third of drivers arrested or convicted of DUI nationwide are repeat offenders. In Bakersfield, that rate is closer to one in five.
Local attorney David Faulkner, who has handled roughly 500 DUI cases across Kern and other counties, said California law allows up to four misdemeanor DUI arrests before charges become a felony — unless a crash causes injuries. He believes stricter penalties may discourage some drivers, but not all.
“I don’t know if it’s the answer,” Faulkner said. “I think it would discourage some, probably not most. I don’t think people really think through the consequences a lot of the time.”
While online petitions are calling for harsher sentences for first-time offenders and mandatory alcohol monitoring, Galland said enforcement would remain challenging.
“We could put an ignition interlock device in every single car on the road,” he said. “But we would never be able to enforce it.”
Both Galland and Faulkner agree that stepped-up enforcement — including more patrols and checkpoints — has helped reduce impaired driving, but community accountability is also critical.
“It’s people holding maybe not themselves accountable,” Galland said, “but holding their friends accountable, holding their family members accountable.”
Police expect DUI arrests to continue climbing through the holiday season. If trends match previous years, Bakersfield could surpass 700 DUI arrests before the end of 2025.
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