California lawmaker won't be charged after citation for suspicion of impaired driving

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A California state lawmaker who was cited by police on suspicion of driving under the influence did not have drugs or alcohol in her system and will not face any charges, the Sacramento district attorney said Friday.

State Sen. Sebrina Cervantes was cited by Sacramento police earlier this month for impaired driving. She was involved in a vehicle crash and was taken by a private party to a hospital for minor injuries where officers observed “objective signs of intoxication,” a police spokesperson said previously. The lawmaker also declined to perform sobriety tests, police said.

“The toxicology results were negative for any measurable amount of alcohol or drugs.” District Attorney Thien Ho’s office said in a statement. “We have reviewed all the submitted evidence, including police reports, witness statements, and laboratory results. Based on our ethical duty and the burden of proof in a criminal trial, the Sacramento County DA’s Office declines to file any charges in this case.”

Cervantes denied any wrongdoing and released lab results from the hospital showing she did not have alcohol or drugs in her system. Her office did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

A Sacramento police spokesperson said officers follow “established protocols” when issuing the citation and deferred questions about the district attorney's decision to the district attorney's office.

Cervantes, a Democrat, was elected to the state Senate last year to represent part of the Inland Empire in southern California after years serving in the Assembly. She previously chaired the Latino Legislative Caucus.

The citation follows other incidents in recent years in which Democratic state lawmakers in California have been suspected of driving drunk by local authorities. U.S. Rep. Dave Min, who was a state senator at the time, and then-Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo were arrested in separate incidents in 2023 for driving under the influence. Both apologized after their arrests.