College of the Desert Trustee Rubén Perez was arrested early Monday, May 25, in Palm Desert on suspicion of driving under the influence, his second DUI arrest in three years.
The arrest, first reported by KESQ, was made by the California Highway Patrol around 12:09 a.m. May 25 near Country Club Drive and Washington Street. Pérez, 32, was booked at the John J. Benoit Detention Center, jail records show.
He is set to appear in court at 7:30 a.m. Aug. 5 at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.
Pérez, the son of Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Pérez, is serving his second term as a COD board trustee. He serves as the board’s vice chair and represents Trustee Area 1, which includes the eastern Coachella Valley.
His seat is up for election in the Nov. 3 general election. Although the candidate filing period has not yet opened in Riverside County and Pérez has not publicly said whether he plans to seek a third term, county records show a committee called “Perez for College of the Desert Board of Trustees 2026.” However, he has not received any contributions since 2024, per campaign finance reports.
He also serves as chief of staff to Riverside County Fifth District Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez.
In a statement published by KESQ, Pérez said he is entering a professional treatment program to address alcoholism and depression, and is taking an immediate leave of absence from his public responsibilities.
“Serving as a College of the Desert trustee and the County have been a tremendous honor, and I am committed to getting healthy and returning stronger personally and professionally,” he said in the statement. “I take full responsibility for my actions and apologize to my family, colleagues, and constituents. I respectfully ask for privacy and prayers as I focus on my recovery.”
Pérez was previously arrested in February 2023 near the SilverRock Resort in La Quinta on suspicion of a misdemeanor DUI, and was later released from the John Benoit Detention Center on $3,500 bail.
A year later, in May 2024, he pleaded guilty to two counts of driving under the influence of alcohol. As part of the plea, he admitted his blood alcohol content was at least 0.20%, more than twice California’s legal limit of 0.08%.
He was sentenced to four days in custody, but received credit for two days and was allowed to serve the remaining two days through a work release program with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. He was also ordered to pay a $1,703 fine and complete a nine-month first offender DUI program.
Jennifer Cortez covers education in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at jennifer.cortez@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: COD Trustee Ruben Perez steps back from public duties after second DUI arrest
Reporting by Jennifer Cortez, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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