Riverside councilmember arrested for second DUI weeks after having previous conviction dismissed
A Riverside city councilmember was arrested for her second DUI over the weekend, just weeks after she convinced a judge to dismiss her previous conviction, prompting calls for her resignation.
Clarissa Cervantes, 32, was arrested on Saturday at around 1:30 a.m. while traveling along the I-10 Freeway in Banning.
"Last night, I made an irresponsible decision that I deeply regret. I take full responsibility, and I want to apologize to my family, my community, and the residents of the district that I represent," Cervantes said in a statement provided to the Southern California News Group.
The arrest, her second in eight years, comes just six weeks after she had her previous DUI from 2015 dismissed by a judge, whom she promised she would never repeat the actions that got her there in the first place.
She is currently in the midst of a run for California State Assembly, after serving the Riverside City Council for the last two years after her election in 2021. She is also the second Latina and the second LGBTQ person ever elected to the council, and despite all that, her recent actions have many of her constituents calling for her resignation.
"She's in a position of higher power," said Alejandra Santana, who lives in Riverside County. "She's supposed to set the example for the city."
The legal ramifications of the second arrest remain to be seen, as two arrests within a 10-year period could result in jail time of up to one year and a two-year driver's license suspension, according to the California Vehicle Code.
She is reportedly due in court on August 30.
Cervantes' first arrest came back in 2014 after she was found driving under the influence on the 60 Freeway in Moreno Valley, close to the apartment address she listed on the citation, according to The Press-Enterprise. They reported that she pleaded guilty to the charges — with a blood-alcohol level that was nearly double the legal limit — and was sentenced to three years probation and 10 days of electronic monitoring. She was also ordered to attend a DUI offender's class and fined $2,541.
"I regrettably made the worst decision of my life when I was in my early 20's, which was to drive after drinking one evening. At the time, I was coming out of a domestic abusive relationship that had severely impacted my mental and physical health," Cervantes said in her petition to have the charges expunged. "An expungement would help me in regards to access to employment opportunities, housing and higher education programs, ensure that I have an equal opportunity of being considered in any pursuit and pathway that can have a significant impact on my life, my daughter's, my family and the greater community."
Cervantes represents Riverside's Ward 2, which oversees areas like Sycamore Canyon, Canyon Crest, UC Riverside and Eastside. She has not yet been available for comment upon request from KCAL News.
Cervantes' sister, Sabrina Cervantes, currently serves as the California State Assembly member representing the 58th Assembly District.