California state senator from Riverside cited for DUI near State Capitol

SACRAMENTO - A Democratic state senator from Riverside County is disputing a recent citation alleging she was driving under the influence near the State Capitol. 

What we know:

Sen. Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside), was cited Monday in downtown Sacramento after she crashed with another vehicle around 1:30 p.m. in the area of 14th and S streets, according to the Sacramento Police Department.

Cervantes was taken to the hospital, where police say she showed "objective signs of intoxication," prompting a DUI investigation that led to the citation for suspicion of DUI, police said. 

The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office said in a statement a filing decision will be made once toxicology results are completed and reviewed.

The other side:

Cervantes maintains she was "falsely accused" of DUI, alleging she was "accosted" by police officers and "involuntarily detained for several hours at the hospital." 

"This ordeal was deeply distressing and left me even more shaken," she wrote. "As a Senator, wife, and mother, I hold myself to the highest standard and expect others that serve our communities to do the same."

"I want to be clear: I did nothing wrong. 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," she added.

The backstory:

According to her biography on the California State Senate website, Cervantes was elected in Nov. 2024 to represent the state's 31st Senate District and is the immediate past Chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus. She is the only representative from the Inland Empire to hold this role in the Caucus’ history. She was previously elected in Nov. 2016 to represent California's 58th Assembly District.

What we don't know:

It's unclear if charges will be filed as toxicology reports are pending.