A Westminster city council member has been arrested on suspicion of DUI for the second time in five years.
Council Member Andy Quach, 42, was apprehended by police Monday morning after crashing his vehicle into an apartment complex’s metal security gate. The complex, located in the 15100 block of Brookhurst Street, is across from a middle school. According to California Highway Patrol, Quach was arrested after failing a field sobriety test. He was released Tuesday after posting $10,000 bail.
“Mr. Quach was not injured, but showed signs of impairment,” the Westminster Police Department said in a statement. To avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest, the department promptly handed the case over to California Highway Patrol.
This is not the first time the council member has been arrested for suspected drunkenness behind the wheel. In 2009, Quach pleaded guilty to driving under the influence after he crashed his car into a poll, knocking out power for hundreds of homes in Little Saigon. He racked up $2,000 in fines as a result of that incident and was ordered to participate in an alcohol awareness program. In that case, his blood alcohol content was more than three times the legal limit.
“It’s unfortunate that the trust those people put into him to give him a second chance, that he violated that,” said resident Robert Jones.
Quach has served on the city council since November 2002. He was re-elected again in 2006 and 2010. He did not seek re-election for a fourth term and is therefore stepping down in mid-December.
Read more about Quatch’s arrest here.