2 Consecutive DUI Blunders In Santa Cruz Result In 2 Arrests

SANTA CRUZ, CA — A Santa Cruz Police sergeant was busy early Tuesday morning with two consecutive DUI mishaps that resulted in two arrests. The first was a crash reported just before 1 a.m. in the 500 block of Walnut Avenue. Christopher Rodgers of Santa Cruz plowed into a parked car, a parking sign, then hit a power pole and sheared it from its base, according to the SCPD. There were no significant injuries and the 44-year-old Rodgers was arrested on suspicion of DUI.

During that first crash investigation, a report came in about a sedan driving across the East Cliff Trestle. Officers responded and discovered the driver of a new 2019 Toyota Camry attempting to drive over the trestle.

"The driver initially made it across, but the visual of the train tracks into the darkness scared driver and passenger," according to the SCPD. "The driver then reversed and backed up onto the bridge and almost over the edge and into the water. Thankfully, the pillar was there and stopped them from driving off the bridge and onto the cliffside."

The driver, 25-year-old William Araya of South Gate, was arrested on suspicion of DUI.