Suspect arrested after leaving court with suspended license

A sting operation was set up in Indio to catch drivers whose licenses were suspended or revoked as they left the Riverside County Courthouse on Monday morning.

Officers staked out offenders who had just been told by a judge not to drive due to a suspended license.

According to a release from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, officers followed four offenders from courtrooms to their vehicles to ensure they weren’t driving.

Most had someone else driving for them, but one person in court for a DUI while driving with a suspended license got behind the wheel and drove away from the courthouse.

Palm Desert police officers were waiting and the suspect was stopped and arrested for driving under suspension.

The person was booked into the Riverside County Jail.

Deputies said DUI court sting operations serve as a proven deterrent to keep impaired drivers off the road and spread public awareness of the dangers associated with driving under the influence.

The operation was funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.