Colorado State Patrol Chief Matthew Packard Issues No-Warning DUI Crackdown for Fourth of July

Colorado State Patrol Chief Matthew C. Packard has a simple message for locals hitting the road this Fourth of July: no warnings. Troopers will give you the ticket, not a warning.

The crackdown starts now and runs through July 7. Expect saturation patrols. Sobriety checkpoints will be visible. More officers will be on duty than usual. The goal is to catch drunk drivers before they kill someone.

This isn’t just a holiday tradition. It’s a data-driven response to a deadly pattern. In 2025, law enforcement made 207 DUI arrests during this specific weeklong enforcement period. Seven of those drivers caused fatal crashes. Seven people died because someone chose to get behind the wheel after drinking or using marijuana.

The cost of that choice is steep. A single DUI in Colorado can exceed $13,500. That’s not just the fine. That’s court costs, legal fees, insurance hikes, and potential jail time. For a family in Delta or Montrose County, that’s a year’s worth of road maintenance budgets gone in one night.

Look at the bigger picture. Over the past five years, July has seen 143 fatal crashes involving suspected impairment. It is the deadliest month of the year for drunk driving. More people die on Colorado roads in July than in any other month. So far this year, 60 people have died in crashes involving suspected impairment.

The Colorado Department of Transportation tracks these numbers closely. They don’t sugarcoat them. July is the danger zone.

Packard says choosing to drive after using any impairing substance is gambling. He’s right. You are betting your license, your finances, and your freedom against the odds. The odds are getting worse.

Local law enforcement is stepping up alongside the State Patrol. This isn’t just a statewide directive. It’s a local reality. If you’re driving your truck out to the lake or cruising Main Street, expect more eyes on you.

Boating under the influence is getting the same scrutiny. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers are upping patrols on the water. They aren’t just watching for speed. They’re watching for impairment. Penalties here are just as severe. You could face fines. Your boat could be impounded. You could lose your boating privileges. Jail time is on the table.

The advice from state officials is practical. If you plan to drink or consume marijuana, plan ahead. Find a sober driver. Don’t wing it. Don’t assume you’re fine to drive. Assume you’re not.

The short version: Troopers don’t give warnings to impaired drivers. They arrest them. They ticket them. They put them in jail.

Read that again.

The enforcement window closes on July 7. But the data doesn’t close. The 143 fatal crashes from the last five years are a warning shot. The 60 deaths so far this year are a current crisis.

You have a choice. Drive sober or pay the price. The price is $13,500 and counting. The risk is your life and the lives of your neighbors.

There’s no secret sauce. No hidden loophole. Just more patrols, stricter enforcement, and a lot of people trying to avoid becoming a statistic in the July death toll.

Make no mistake. If you’re impaired, you’re likely to get caught.