Even after her 16th DUI charge, Melanie Sandoval avoided prison. Instead, she was ordered into a rehabilitation program—and soon got back behind the wheel.
According to nonprofit newsroom CalMatters, California has some of the most lenient drunk driving penalties in the nation, and its ignition interlock device (IID) system—a key tool meant to prevent repeat offenses—has largely failed to take effect.
CalMatters reported that Sandoval was sentenced to rehabilitation instead of jail for her 16th DUI. Within months, she was caught driving drunk again, leading to her probation being revoked and her eventual imprisonment this summer.
Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that alcohol-related deaths in California have surged more than 50% in the past decade, killing over 1,300 people annually and injuring thousands more. Yet, DUI arrests have nearly halved—from about 200,000 in 2010 to 100,000 in 2020.
Statistics from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) further highlight the issue: in 2005, one in four drivers caught for DUI reoffended within 15 years, and about 40% of those with three or more prior violations drove drunk again.
Despite these figures, state law remains lenient. Even after three DUIs, offenders can still be charged with a misdemeanor depending on their blood alcohol content. Only on the fourth offense within 10 years—and if no one was injured—does the charge become a felony. DUI records are also expunged after a decade, resetting offenders’ histories.
License suspensions in California are also shorter than in many states: after a third DUI, the suspension lasts just three years, compared with eight years in New Jersey, 15 years in Nebraska, and permanent revocation in Connecticut.
The IID program, introduced in 2016 to reduce repeat offenses, requires installation for repeat offenders—but enforcement is extremely low. As of 2023, judges ordered IIDs for fewer than 10% of second-time DUI offenders in most counties, and Los Angeles County reported just 0.5% of offenders receiving IID orders.
A bill to expand mandatory IID installation to all DUI offenders failed in 2025, after the DMV said it lacked “time and resources” to implement the change.
The weak system has allowed many suspended drivers to return to the road. Since 2019, roughly 130 convicted DUI offenders involved in fatal crashes have regained their licenses, and fewer than 20 were required to drive vehicles equipped with IIDs.
The case of Sylvester Conway underscores the problem. After two DUI convictions by 2019, he faced three additional pending cases before crashing while drunk in February 2022, killing passenger Khayriyyah Jones. Conway is now on trial for murder in Madera County.
BY YOONJAE JUNG [jung.yoonjae@koreadaily.com]
