The Tehama County Sheriff’s Office is investigating criminal allegations the agency says are associated with certain members on the Board of Supervisors and specific county department heads and stem from a report of a possible DUI involving a county supervisor.
“This investigation was initiated after a report of a possible DUI driver was made to the Red Bluff Police Department on March 25, 2025. It was determined the report was made from the Tehama County Administration building, which is in the sheriff’s office jurisdiction. Further it was made about a sitting Tehama County Board member,” Tehama County Sheriff Dave Kain states in the news release.
The investigation is examining if there were violations of county policies, and local, state or federal laws, “including constitutional violations,” Kain said.
The news release does not identify the supervisors or department heads the sheriff’s office is investigating.
But it does identify the supervisor who was stopped by police for the possible DUI.
Kain said the sheriff’s office determined District 3 Supervisor Pati Nolen “had no measurable amount of alcohol in her system when stopped by the police department.”
Kain did not immediately respond to a phone call seeking comment.
Nolen took office in January 2023. She will be up for re-election in 2026.
Nolen did not immediately respond to a phone call or email seeking comment.
Kain said in the statement, his office is committed to conducting a “transparent, impartial, and thorough investigation,” and a full report of the findings will be released when the investigation is completed.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Tehama County sheriff investigating supervisors, county department heads over DUI report
Reporting by David Benda, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
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