COD Trustee Ruben Perez arrested in February on suspicion of drunk driving
College of the Desert Trustee Ruben Perez was arrested last month in La Quinta on suspicion of a misdemeanor DUI, Riverside County Sheriff Department records show.
Perez, 29, was arrested around 12:49 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 10, near the SilverRock Resort in La Quinta at Avenue 52 and SilverRock Way.
He was booked at the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio at 3 a.m that day, with bail posted at $3,500.
Perez is set to appear in court on June 20 at the Indio Larson Justice Center.
"A few weeks ago I made a terrible mistake of which I am truly sorry," Perez told The Desert Sun Friday morning. "I'd like to sincerely apologize to my family, friends and community. I will do everything in my power to learn and grow from this."
Perez, the son of Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez, won re-election to his second term on the COD Board of Trustees in November.
He is currently the subject of a censure investigation asked for by fellow trustee Joel Kinnamon for comments Kinnamon alleges “disparaged” former trustees and former and current administrators and faculty as well as “political rhetoric (that) disparages my name and reputation, basically calling me a racist, again, from this dais."
Perez said he “completely disagreed with the censorship” and defended his right to “speak truth to power” in a January interview with a local news outlet.
Jonathan Horwitz covers education for The Desert Sun. Reach him at jonathan.horwitz@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: COD Trustee Ruben Perez arrested in February for drunk driving
