College of the Desert Trustee Rubén Pérez, who is running unopposed for a third term, pleaded guilty to his second DUI in three years. He was sentenced to five years of probation, having served five days in jail after his arrest.
Pérez, 33, pleaded guilty Monday, Aug. 24, to driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08% or higher, according to court records. His blood alcohol level was recorded as 0.28% — more than three times the legal limit.
He was sentenced to 10 days in county jail, but will serve no additional time after receiving credit for five days already served and conduct credit for five other days. Pérez was ordered to complete an 18-month program for second-time DUI offenders and pay $1,949 in fines and penalties.
He also pleaded guilty
to an infraction for having an open container while driving.
Two other charges were dismissed, including a misdemeanor DUI charge and an infraction alleging he drove with a blood alcohol level of at least 0.01% while on probation for a prior DUI. Pérez previously pleaded guilty to DUI in 2024 and was sentenced to work release.
The California Highway Patrol arrested Pérez on suspicion of driving under the influence shortly after midnight Monday, May 25, near Country Club Drive and Washington Street in Palm Desert.
Pérez, vice chair of COD's board of trustees, is running unopposed for a third term to represent Trustee Area 1. Because no one else filed for the seat, the race will not appear on the Nov. 3 ballot.
The son of Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Pérez, he is the former chief of staff to Riverside County Fifth District Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez.
Shortly after his arrest, Pérez stepped away from his public duties and said he was entering treatment for alcoholism and depression. When he returned to COD's board about two months later, in July, he described recovery as an ongoing process and said that he still had "a great deal of work ahead."
"I take full responsibility for my actions," he said at the time. "Recovery isn't about making excuses. It's about owning your mistakes, learning from them and putting in the work every single day to become a better person."
Three days before entering his plea, Pérez told the board at its Aug. 21 meeting that the upcoming school year's promise of "second or even third" chances had become especially meaningful to him as he confronted his own "mistakes and shortcomings."
"I don't pretend to have everything figured out," he said. "I'm still learning, I'm still growing, and I'm still working every day to become a better person and a better public servant."
Jennifer Cortez covers education and breaking news in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at jennifer.cortez@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: COD Trustee Rubén Pérez pleads guilty to second DUI, gets probation
