BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — DUI-related crashes continue to plague Kern County, where hundreds of arrests are made each year and repeat offenders remain a persistent concern.

Earlier this month, 8-year-old Xxavien Hernandez was struck and killed near a food truck by a suspected DUI driver with prior convictions, prompting renewed calls for stronger accountability. A vigil and balloon release were held last weekend to honor the boy, but that vigil was interrupted by another alleged DUI accident.

To curb impaired driving, local law enforcement continues to conduct random DUI checkpoints throughout the county. On Friday, Bakersfield police set up on Union Avenue — one of the city’s busiest corridors — where officers arrested six people on suspicion of DUI.

In one case, a driver attempted

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