We expect law officers tasked with protecting and serving the community to know and follow the law. Unfortunately, anyone can have a lapse of judgment; however, one Kern County Sheriff’s Department deputy is now facing the consequences of her actions.
KGET News reports that a Kern County Sheriff’s Deputy has been arrested for DUI after she crashed into a stopped Bakersfield Police Department cruiser in a collision in October.
On October 21, at approximately 9:30 p.m., off-duty Kern County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Ana Christina Alverez was returning home from a birthday party with her four children when the crash happened. Alvarez admits that she was looking at her cellphone when she crashed into the police cruiser that was stopped at a traffic signal.
No one was hurt in the crash.
Newly released court documents, however, indicate that not only was Alvarez distracted, but investigators believe that she was also driving under the influence of alcohol.
According to the police report submitted to the court, Alvarez displayed characteristics of someone who was intoxicated. She smelled strongly of alcohol, had red, watery eyes, and failed field sobriety tests that were administered to her by responding police officers.
She was arrested at the scene of the collision, and her children were released to the care of family members.
The 33-year-old sheriff’s deputy is facing misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and four counts of child cruelty. A pre-trial conference has been scheduled in January.
