BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — For Bakersfield Police Sgt. Rex Davenport, a DUI checkpoint on Brimhall Road Friday night was more than another traffic enforcement operation.
It brought him back to a deadly crash scene he has never forgotten.
On New Year's Eve 2020, Davenport was preparing to celebrate with his young son when he received a call to respond to a crash on Brimhall Road near Jewetta Avenue.
A 20-year-old driver, Adam Teasdale, had crashed a Toyota Avalon into a tree in the center median. Three passengers riding in the back seat were killed.
Davenport remembers how young the victims were.
"They're 19, they're adults, but they're kids," Davenport said. "Let's be real."
One of the victims was also a first cousin of a Bakersfield police captain, Davenport said, making the tragedy especially difficult for the department.
"It hit through our department everywhere," he said.
Back on Brimhall
Nearly six years later, Davenport was back on the same stretch of Brimhall Road, this time leading a DUI checkpoint designed to prevent another deadly crash.
BPD says checkpoint locations are selected using DUI arrest and crash data. Officers look at activity within roughly a two-mile radius when determining where to conduct an operation.
Brimhall Road is particularly important because it is a major route for drivers traveling from bars and entertainment areas in downtown Bakersfield and Rosedale.
Davenport said BPD typically makes several DUI arrests at operations in the area.
Friday's enforcement effort went beyond the checkpoint itself. Davenport said at least six two-officer patrol cars were also conducting saturation patrols nearby, with the possibility of adding another unit.
The operation was funded through a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety.
'We're out here for a reason'
Davenport acknowledged that DUI checkpoints can frustrate drivers, particularly when traffic backs up.
But he said the inconvenience is small compared with the potential consequences of impaired driving.
"That few minutes may stop somebody, one of your own family members, from being killed," Davenport said.
He said officers aren't simply trying to write tickets or make arrests.
"We're out here for a reason," Davenport said. "We're doing this to try to make a difference and try to save lives."
Motorcycle officers also play a role during checkpoint operations. Davenport said they are positioned to respond when drivers attempt to evade the checkpoint.
According to Davenport, drivers have occasionally accelerated through cones and officers, creating an additional danger for personnel working the operation.
DUI enforcement across Bakersfield
Although Brimhall Road was the location of Friday night's checkpoint, Davenport said impaired driving isn't limited to one part of Bakersfield.
BPD uses data to track DUI arrests and crashes throughout the city, but Davenport said there isn't one area that consistently stands out.
"There really honestly isn't a heat map," he said. "It's everywhere."
That's why BPD moves its enforcement operations around the city rather than repeatedly using the same location.
For Davenport, however, Brimhall Road carries a personal connection.
Nearly six years after responding to a crash that took three young lives, he was back on the road trying to make sure another family doesn't receive the same devastating phone call.
Checkpoint results: BPD Press Release
At the checkpoint, 463 vehicles were screened by officers. Three drivers were detained for further evaluation to determine their sobriety influence level. One driver was cited for driving on a suspended license and one vehicle was impounded for 30 days. During the DUI saturation patrol, 40 traffic stops were made. Two drivers were arrested for DUI, six drivers were cited for various traffic violations, and four vehicles were impounded.
Funds for this checkpoint and saturation patrol were provided to the Bakersfield Police Department Traffic Unit by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy
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