Deputy pleads no contest to DUI with high blood alcohol level, child endangerment
The off-duty Kern County sheriff's deputy suspected of drunken driving, resulting in a crash with her children in the car, changed her plea Tuesday from not guilty to no contest for one charge of DUI with a blood alcohol level exceeding 0.08% and one charge of child endangerment.
In response, prosecutors dismissed three charges of child endangerment and one count of driving under the influence against Ana Christina Alvarez, 32.
Alvarez did not appear Tuesday in Kern County Superior Court but her defense attorney, Gabriel Godinez, appeared on her behalf. Judge Chad Louie sentenced Alvarez to four years of probation; 12 days in jail, which can be served through work release; eight hours of community service; 26 weeks of parenting classes; 10 Alcohol Anonymous meetings; and DUI school.
According to the Bakersfield Police Department report filed in court, Alvarez and a BPD vehicle crashed on Stockdale Highway and Village Lane on Oct. 21, 2023. Alvarez told officers she was coming home from a birthday party with her children in the car during the crash.
The children were ages 7, 6, 4 and 3 years old at the time of the crash. Three of the children suffered minor injuries, according to the report. The children were picked up by a family member following the crash, the report stated.
Alvarez told officers she was distracted while driving at the time of the crash, according to the BPD report. It said officers noticed Alvarez had red watery eyes and conducted a field sobriety test.
The deputy was taken to a hospital to provide a blood sample to check her blood alcohol level, according to the report. The BPD report did not include the results of the blood test. During the plea, Godinez acknowledged Alvarez had a high blood alcohol content exceeding 0.15%.
“Now it’s time for her to keep moving forward,” Godinez told The Californian after the court hearing.
