60th District Assemblywoman Sabrina Cervantes attends a conference in San Bernadino, May 10, 2019. Sabrina Cervantes 7
Sacramento, California – State Sen. Sabrina Cervantes, a prominent California Democrat and former chair of the Legislative Latino Caucus, was cited Monday on suspicion of driving under the influence following a car crash in downtown Sacramento. Cervantes, 37, forcefully denied the allegation, saying that authorities wrongfully detained her, and that hospital lab results show she had no alcohol in her system.
The incident occurred just after 1:30 p.m. Monday when Cervantes’ sedan collided with a large SUV just blocks from the state Capitol, according to the Sacramento Police Department. Officers did not arrive at the scene before Cervantes EMT’s transported her to a nearby hospital. Police later cited her at the hospital with a misdemeanor DUI, department spokesperson Officer Allison Smith confirmed.
In a statement released Tuesday, Cervantes said she had been “accosted” by police while seeking care in the emergency room. “I was falsely accused of driving under the influence, and involuntarily detained for several hours at the hospital,” she said. “This ordeal was deeply distressing and left me even more shaken.”
Cervantes added that hospital lab results proved she had no alcohol in her system, and she expects the case to be resolved quickly. She emphasized her role as a public servant and mother, saying she holds herself “to the highest standard” and expects the same from law enforcement.
A Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office spokesperson declined to comment on whether charges would be filed.
The crash and citation occurred just before a scheduled Senate vote on bills at 2 p.m. Monday. The incident marks the latest in a series of DUI-related controversies involving California lawmakers in the Capitol’s downtown “grid” district. In 2023, then-Sen. Dave Min and Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo were both arrested on suspicion of DUI, incidents that impacted their respective campaigns.
Cervantes represents Senate District 31, which includes parts of Riverside and San Bernardino counties. She is part of a tight-knit group of Inland Empire Democrats and a member of Latino and LGBTQ legislative caucuses. Her sister, Riverside City Councilmember Clarissa Cervantes, previously faced scrutiny for two DUI charges during her failed Assembly run.
The Senator reiterated her innocence in her Tuesday statement: “I want to be clear: I did nothing wrong.”
