Fresno County Leaders Speak on Drunk Driving<\/p>\n
Natasha Thomas, area executive director for MADD Northern California, said impaired driving affects entire communities, not just individuals. \u201cEvery crash leaves lasting impacts on families and neighborhoods,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen it comes to just awareness of driving while impaired, this is something we can\u2019t take a break on.\u201d \u2014 Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig<\/p>\n
Clovis Police Chief Curt Fleming said impaired driving remains a persistent problem despite decades of enforcement and education. Fleming highlighted a recent crash in which a 62-year-old man, identified as Steve Myer of Prather, struck a toddler<\/a> and their mother in the Trader Joe\u2019s parking lot. Myer was arrested on felony DUI charges.<\/p>\n \u201cImpaired driving continues to impact Clovis as well as in county and throughout the state for that matter,\u201d Fleming said. \u201cThese crashes affect not only victims and families, but also the first responders.\u201d He urged the public to intervene if they see someone attempting to drive while impaired.<\/p>\n The Fresno Police Department reported on Tuesday that DUI arrests<\/a> rose from 2,284 in 2024 to 2,449 in 2025.<\/p>\n Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig said collaboration and public awareness have contributed to reductions in traffic fatalities, but impaired driving remains a leading cause of serious crashes in the county.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen it comes to just awareness of driving while impaired, this is something we can\u2019t take a break on,\u201d Magsig said. \u201cWe\u2019ve noticed that as we educate the public, as we work together, as talk to our neighbors, as the media is involved carrying this message, we see parallels where there is a reduction in fatalities.\u201d He added that Fresno County is one of the most dangerous places to drive and that impaired driving is a leading cause of accidents.<\/p>\n Senior Deputy District Attorney Steve Olson said Fresno County filed 5,165 misdemeanor DUI cases and 423 felony DUI cases in 2025, along with eight murder cases tied to impaired driving that involved 15 fatalities. He noted that awareness campaigns have been shown to reduce preventable cases.<\/p>\n California Highway Patrol Fresno Area Commander Ian Holguin\u00a0 said CHP officers arrested more than 2,000 DUI drivers in the Fresno area in 2025, calling the number a sign of how prevalent impaired driving remains.<\/p>\n \u201cReal change happens when enforcement is paired with prevention, education, and strong community partnerships such as this,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n![\"Fresno](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Fresno-County-leaders-speak-at-a-Wednesday-press-conference-regarding-MADD-campaign_1280X720-1024x57.jpeg\")
Fresno County leaders, in collaboration with MADD, speak at a Wednesday news conference regarding a campaign to reduce drunk driving. The effort combines community partnerships, education, and enforcement to prevent impaired driving, while highlighting the personal and community costs of DUIs in Fresno County. (GV Wire)<\/p>\n