Mothers Against Drunk Driving honors law enforcement for 'exceptional' prosecution

The first call came at around 5 a.m. from his sister who broke the news: Their brother had died.

The brother, Russ Davenport, was killed when his taxi was T-boned at an intersection by a drunk driver in downtown Bakersfield.

Standing at a lectern, Rex Davenport bowed his head and clipped his tears, wiping them on his starched uniform. The first thought that came to mind, he continued, was to follow police protocol and notify the parents. “And give them the worst news a parent could have,” he said, clasping the lectern. “Nobody wants to get that phone call.”

A sergeant with the Bakersfield Police Department, Davenport delivered his address Thursday as one of several at an annual awards luncheon presented by Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

The ceremony commemorates law enforcement, volunteers and prosecutors who continue the Sisyphean task of staving off drunk and drugged driving. Two men standing beside Davenport, one in police uniform, were later identified as his nephews.

“What those little boys didn’t know at the time — they were asleep — they had no idea they were never going to see their dad again,” he said.

Nine awards were divvied among top performers before a packed audience that included officers from Arvin, Bakersfield, Shafter, Taft, Tehachapi and Ridgecrest, as well as from California Highway Patrol stations in Bishop, Buttonwillow, Fort Tejon and Mojave.

“I think dealing with drunk driving is a group effort and, thankfully, when I look around this room, I see a group of amazing and dedicated individuals doing their part,” said Alcohol and Beverage Control Deputy Division Agent Melanie Perry.

There were more than 200,000 DUI-related crashes in California last year, according to CHP data, resulting in upward of 280,000 injuries and 4,000 people killed. Kern County ranks especially high statewide, averaging more than 11 DUI arrests per day, according to Kern County’s District Attorney’s Office.

City police alone last year made 875 DUI arrests. “That’s almost three a day,” Davenport said. “Three phone calls avoided.”

Davenport deadpanned that DUIs are tedious and time-consuming, as even a few can lead to towers of paperwork. “But you got to understand: Every DUI you take keeps somebody's phone from ringing, like ours did,” he said.

This came months after a suspected drunk driver drove his Ford F-150 into spectators waiting to watch a Christmas parade in downtown Bakersfield, injuring three people. The suspect, 72-year-old Alan Booth, was later arrested in April on suspicion of drunk driving in the 2000 block of Oak Street, near Jim Burke Ford.

The luncheon is one of many MADD hosts nationwide as it continues its lobbying efforts for more stringent public policy and enforcement. An outspoken nonprofit, the group is known for condemning drunken or drugged driving, regardless of the culprit’s status.

“MADD looks forward to the day when every new vehicle contains passive drunk driving prevention technology, as required by federal law through The HALT Act, to put an end to this horrific crime,” MADD CEO Stacey D. Stewart said in a Tuesday statement following the arrest of Justin Timberlake for alleged drugged driving.

On MADD's website, the group said its work has “helped reduce drunk driving deaths by more than 50%, saving more than 400,000 lives."

BPD Officer Christian Mejia went home with two honors, including Outstanding Rookie Award and Top DUI Arresting Officer with 112 DUI Arrests in 2023.

Other awards included: Outstanding Prosecutor Award to Supervising Deputy District Attorney of Kern William Schlaerth; Community Champion Award to April Campbell of Independence High School and Tiffany Giese of Liberty High School; Outstanding Probation Officer Award to Kern Deputy Probation Officer Hector Valdez; Outstanding Volunteer Award to MADD volunteer Michael Yraceburn; Power of You(th) Award to CHP Explorer Sgt. Jesus Cruz; Outstanding Resource Officer Award to CHP Public Information Officer Tomas Martinez of Bakersfield; and Outstanding Social Media Award to CHP Public Information Officer Aaron Maurer of Mojave.

If you suspect someone of driving while intoxicated, call 911 or the 24-Hour Victim Help Line at 1-877-MADD-HELP.