It’s no secret that police officers have high stress jobs. Some police officers may choose to destress with a drink or perhaps some cannabis after a shift. When they decide to get behind the wheel, they are subject to the same laws as citizens. In fact, they might even be subject to more penalties. While the same criminal penalties apply to an intoxicated police officer as an ordinary citizen, the press may get a hold of the arrest and go on a “name and shame” campaign. They may also lose their jobs, or at the very least, be placed on leave until an investigation is completed.
NBC Los Angeles reports that a Montebello Police lieutenant has been arrested on charges of suspicion of DUI.
A police sergeant from San Bernardino County stated on Saturday that a Montebello police lieutenant was taken into custody on Wednesday.
The incident occurred a little after 8:10 a.m. on Wednesday, August 21st. Montebello Police Lt. Christopher Cervantes was involved in a non-injury crash in Montclair. He was arrested on suspicion of DUI drug and booked into the San Bernardino County Jail. He was released later that afternoon.
He was placed on paid administrative leave following Wednesday’s arrest.
This is not Cervantes’ first brush with the other side of the law. In 2015, he was arrested for alleged DUI drug after crashing his car into a tree in Diamond Bar. He tested positive for acetaminophen/butalbital/codeine, which is a pain-relieving drug. He was not prosecuted due to lack of evidence.
Cervantes was detained after he resisted arrest at a San Diego hotel party. He falsely claimed to be a federal agent. He was not charged in that case.
Between his arrest in 2015 and his most recent arrest, Cervantes was promoted from sergeant to lieutenant.
