California state senator cited for DUI after crash near Capitol says she’s been ‘falsely accused’
- Share via
A California state senator cited on suspicion of driving under the influence after a car crash in Sacramento has forcefully denied the allegation — saying that she has been “falsely accused” and that lab tests later done at a hospital will show she had no alcohol in her system.
Sen. Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside) said she was detained and questioned for several hours as she was being treated at a hospital Monday afternoon after her sedan was T-boned by a sport utility vehicle near the Capitol.
“I want to be clear: I did nothing wrong,” Cervantes, 37, said in a statement Wednesday. “The lab results I sought in the hospital show conclusively I had no alcohol in my system. I expect this to be quickly and justly resolved.”
Cervantes left her vehicle near the intersection of 14th and S streets about 1:30 p.m. and was taken to a hospital, where officers met her, according to the Sacramento Police Department. The officers “observed objective signs of intoxication and conducted a DUI investigation,” the department said in a statement.
Officers said she was under the influence and cited her with a misdemeanor on suspicion of DUI.
Cervantes, however, denies the claim and said police questioned her for several hours while she was being treated for her minor injuries.
“I was accosted by Sacramento Police Department officers, falsely accused of driving under the influence, and involuntarily detained for several hours at the hospital,” Cervantes said in her statement. “This ordeal was deeply distressing and left me even more shaken. As a Senator, wife, and mother, I hold myself to the highest standard and expect others that serve our communities to do the same.”
On Wednesday evening, her office released redacted copies of laboratory reports from her treatment at a Kaiser Permanente hospital in Sacramento. She said the report shows there was no alcohol or drugs in her system. Her vital signs and behavior were not irregular, she said.
“The accusation that I was driving under the influence is utterly false,” she said in a statement. “The Sacramento Police Department’s accusations are unjust and hold no truth.”
Cervantes represents the 31st Senate District, which covers portions of Riverside and San Bernardino counties, and previously served in the state Assembly. She has served as the chair of the Latino Legislative Caucus and also is a member of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus and the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus.
Her sister, Clarissa Cervantes, serves on the Riverside City Council and her father, Greg Cervantes, is a former mayor of Coachella.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
More From the Los Angeles Times
Podcasts
In “Rebuilding Los Angeles,” Kate Cagle explores the aftermath of L.A.’s recent wildfires, examining systemic failures and innovative recovery efforts while sharing inspiring stories of community resilience in the face of climate change.
On this week’s bonus, Madison McGhee and Jake Deptula share some of their more controversial takes on today’s true crime beat.
In this episode, Sammy Roth speaks with geography professor James McCarthy, who’s studied how authoritarianism and environmental destruction can be deeply intertwined.
