Los Angeles – Today, City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto announced that the Driving Under the Influence of Drugs Unit (“DUID”) in her Criminal Branch is the recipient of more than $1.3 million through the Impaired Driving Prosecution Grant from California’s Office of Traffic Safety (“OTS”). Aimed at reducing fatalities and injuries caused by drunk and drug-impaired drivers, this is the 14th year that the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office has been awarded this grant.
"Driving Under the Influence is one of the key crimes that my office prosecutes. We have filed approximately 99% of the DUI cases referred to us by law enforcement over the past two years," said Hydee Feldstein Soto, Los Angeles City Attorney. "I am grateful to California’s Office of Traffic Safety. Their collaboration helps us hold accountable those who carelessly and recklessly get behind the wheel when they are impaired. I am proud of my DUI and DUID prosecutors whose commitment to safer roads in LA is unparalleled."
"Through focused prosecution efforts and strong partnerships, we are working toward a future where all people will be safe on California roads," OTS Director Stephanie Dougherty said. "Together, we’re holding impaired drivers accountable and encouraging safe, responsible choices that help build a culture where safety comes first."
From Oct. 1, 2024 - Sept. 30, 2025, the City Attorney’s Office filed 4,844 cases involving drivers allegedly under the influence of alcohol, drugs or a combination of both.
Distributed through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”), the OTS grant will help Feldstein Soto’s DUID unit prosecute alcohol and drug impaired driving drivers through September 2026. This specialized team will also continue to partner with the statewide Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Training Program ("TSRP") to provide support and assistance to other prosecutors and investigators, and collaborate with law enforcement on best practices for handling and managing alcohol and drug impaired cases, including evidence gathering and data collection.
This holiday, Feldstein Soto encourages Angelenos to use public transit, designate a driver, or use a rideshare app if they plan on drinking and/or using drugs. LA Metro offers a convenient trip planner. For New Year’s Eve, LA Metro has free service on all trains and buses from Wednesday, Dec. 31, starting at 4 a.m. through Thursday, Jan. 1, at 3 a.m.
Link to California’s Office of Traffic Safety: https://shorturl.at/LcU45
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Hydee Feldstein Soto is the 43rd Los Angeles City Attorney, elected in November 2022 and sworn into office in December 2022. Her team of nearly 1,000 legal professionals, including 500+ attorneys, carries out legal work for the City of Los Angeles at her direction and under her supervision. She is the first female City Attorney in L.A. history.