SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, CA — A San Luis Obispo County jury convicted 32-year-old Michael Anthony Calderon of Santa Maria on misdemeanor driving under the influence charges following a nine-day trial.
The conviction stems from an enforcement stop initiated by California Highway Patrol officers shortly after 1:00 a.m. on June 8, 2024. Officers observed Calderon’s vehicle traveling northbound on U.S. 101 near Los Berros Road at 42 mph while weaving across traffic lanes. Upon contacting Calderon, officers detected an odor of alcohol, observed physical signs of intoxication including slurred speech and bloodshot eyes, and noted performance indicators of impairment across all administered field sobriety tests. A subsequent vehicle search revealed an empty tequila bottle beneath the driver’s seat.
Following the jury’s verdict, Superior Court Judge Erin M. Childs sentenced Calderon in court. District Attorney Dan Dow reiterated that operating a vehicle while impaired constitutes an unlawful act regardless of whether an individual’s blood alcohol content measures above or below the 0.08% legal threshold.
The prosecution was led by Deputy District Attorney Danielle Baker alongside Witness Coordinator Eloiza Basinger, with investigative support provided by the California Highway Patrol.
