Follow LA Observed on Twitter here
Board of Public Works president Andrea Alarcon's future as an LA political figure got a little more clouded today, at least temporarily. The San Bernardino County DA's office said it will keep pressing her prosecution for driving under the influence and child endangerment, stemming from an arrest last January near Running Springs with her daughter in the car. That's the same daughter, now 11, who was taken to an LAPD station after being discovered alone inside City Hall close to midnight on Nov. 16, a Friday night. Alarcon was reportedly in the bar at the Doubletree Hotel down the street with an assistant in Mayor Villaraigosa's office. On Tuesday, the San Bernardino prosecutor offered to settle via plea deal but only if Alarcon pleads guilty to drunk driving and child endangerment. "That’s what she’s guilty of," said deputy DA William Gale, who said Alarcon's blood-alcohol level the night she was arrested was 0.19 percent — more than twice the legal limit of 0.08.
Alarcon's lawyer, Michael Scafiddi, would not comment on the offer but indicated to prosecutors she would continue to fight the charges, according to the L.A. Times.
Under the deal, Alarcon would face no jail time but would face four years' probation, a mandatory DUI class, a 52-week program for child abusers and more than $2,000 in fines.According to the CHP, witnesses reported a vehicle with a flat tire. When an officer contacted Alarcon, who was in the vehicle with a juvenile passenger, the officer noticed “signs of intoxication” and began a DUI investigation, said CHP spokesman Benjamin Baker. Alarcon was placed under arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence.
No charges are pending in the City Hall incident. Alarcon put herself on voluntary leave from the full-time public works post after news broke of the incident, and said she would seek "treatment" for an unspecified problem.
Photo of Andrea Alarcon: Facebook
