The Sacramento Bee reports that even though Kingsburg City Councilmember Jewel Hurtado survived efforts for an election recall, she still faces two misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence this summer.
The incident happened on June 21, 2021, when police stopped 22-year-old Hurtado on suspicion of DUI. During the investigation at the scene, Hurtado admitted to consuming alcohol before getting behind the wheel of her vehicle.
Hurtado fully cooperated with officers at the scene and submitted to a Breathalyzer test. She was charged with one count of driving under the influence of alcohol with a blood-alcohol level greater than 0.08% and a separate count of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Because she was going over 65 miles per hour in a reduced speed zone, Hurtado was also cited for speeding by Kingston Police officers.
Hurtado apologized for the incident in July.
“I made a mistake, and I am sorry. I’m taking responsibility for my actions and waiting for my day in front of a judge,” she said. “I trust they will make the right decision.”
Councilmember Hurtado has entered a plea of not guilty.
Court documents indicate that Hurtado will appear in court for a pre-trial date on January 1, 2022.
Her political opponents have criticized Hurtado for being an outspoken advocate of the larger community in Kingsburg. When efforts to get the city to recognize Pride Month, political opponents launched a recall effort.
Fresno County Clerk / Registrar of Voters announced on Friday, October 15, 2021, that the petition to recall Hurtado failed to collect the requisite 354 valid signatures of registered voters.
