Bend, OR – Bend Police arrested at least 12 people for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the period between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, according to the department.

Police said drivers recorded blood alcohol concentrations ranging from 0.13 percent to 0.23 percent. One driver was arrested just before noon on Christmas Day with a BAC of 0.20 percent. Another arrest occurred on New Year’s Eve after a driver was found unconscious in a Taco Bell drive-through and later recorded a BAC of 0.23 percent.

At least three of the DUII arrests involved drug use, including inhalants and marijuana. Two of the arrests followed crashes, including one incident in which the driver fled the scene and later registered a BAC of 0.13 percent.

The Bend Police Department increased its presence in the downtown area on New Year’s Eve in an effort to reduce impaired driving and other issues historically associated with the holiday. In addition to additional officers, a large boom light was placed at NW Greenwood Avenue and Hill Street to help prevent vehicle-versus-pedestrian crashes.

Police also focused on public education during the evening. School resource officers set up a table downtown and collected between 150 and 200 voluntary breath samples from community members to help them better understand alcohol consumption and intoxication levels.

According to the department, Bend Police arrested more than 550 people for DUII in 2025.