Extra DUI patrols out for Cinco de Mayo

El Torito restaurant in Monterey prepped hours before their Cinco de Mayo festivities kicked off.

“This is just a day to celebrate how courageous and strong we are,” said Marialena Lopez with El Torito. “Busy, busy. We have a lot of reservations already and we expect to have a lot of fun.”

They told KION business is expected to go up about 30 percent. Mexican cuisine and salty margaritas will bring locals and tourists through the doors.

“We’ll also be having an area for beer in case anyone wanted to buy any,” said Lopez.

While people are celebrating the holiday, local law enforcement and Salinas California Highway Patrol will keep their eyes peeled for drivers who drank a little too much.

“We’ll be looking for not just people weaving all over the road, but if you have any mechanical violation, your head lights out, your break lights out, we’re going to stop that vehicle because we want to see if the person behind the vehicle is intoxicated,” said CHP officer Oscar Loza.

According to reports, 343 people were killed in car crashes over the Cinco de Mayo holiday weekend in 2014.

“So although it may not seem like a lot because it’s driving and we all drive, if it were a plane to crash with that many people on board, or a building to fall with that many people in it, it would be a national tragedy,” said Loza.

Extra officers will conduct ongoing DUI patrols throughout the evening to the early morning.

“If you do happen to go out and drink just get a cab ride home or a Uber ride home,” said Loza. “It’s going to be a lot cheaper than spending the night in jail and getting a DUI.”