A man from California was apprehended for driving under the influence shortly after the stroke of midnight on January 1. He bizarrely identified himself as “the DUI” when he was stopped by the police.
The Murrieta Police Department in Southern California shared a bodycam video of the encounter on its Instagram page on Thursday.
The driver had caught the attention of Officer Bridgewaters from Murrieta as he was seen swerving on the road at 12:40 a.m. on New Year’s Day, prompting a potential DUI investigation.
During the traffic stop, the officer inquired about the driver’s whereabouts prior to being pulled over. The driver’s response included the statement, “I was just dropping off my friend because I’m the DUI tonight.”
The driver allegedly failed several field sobriety tests before he was arrested. (Murrieta Police Department)
The police department said it employs two officers who “specialize in DUI investigations” and have additional training in detecting and investigating impaired drivers.
MPD’s traffic bureau also regularly conducts checkpoints to “further deter drunk driving,” according to the department.
Murrieta police said its traffic bureau regularly holds sobriety checkpoints to stress the importance of not driving under the influence. (istock)
The department reminded drivers to celebrate responsibly after sharing that 37 people die every day in America in crashes related to driving under the influence.
In 2022, 13,524 people were killed at the hands of alcohol-impaired driving, MPD said in its post.
