Rev. Greg Diaz, pastor of Nueva Direccion church in southeast Memphis and owner of TacoNGanas and Uncle Goyo's, was arrested Oct. 19 and charged with driving under the influence as well as reckless driving.
Diaz is a prominent business owner and leader in Memphis' Latino community. He met with public officials in Washington, DC as recently as September, according to a Facebook post, and operated a center for the children of immigrants.
But, in recent years, Diaz has faced allegations of bringing cooks to the United States from Mexico illegally and that he overworked his employees while taking a portion of their tips. The Department of Labor, in 2024, said it was still investigating the allegations.
According to a police affidavit, Diaz was seen
speeding at around 12:47 a.m. on Oct. 19 near the intersection of Poplar Pike and Massey Road by a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper. The trooper followed the vehicle and reached "a speed of 69 mph." At the intersection of Poplar Pike and Kirby Parkway, the trooper said he saw Diaz "turn left into oncoming traffic and maneuver between a railroad crossing to return to the correct lane of travel."
This, the trooper said, was when he turned on his emergency lights to stop Diaz.
"While requesting his vehicle information, I observed that Mr. Diaz's speech was extremely slurred. I also detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his person, and his eyes appeared bloodshot and watery," the trooper wrote. "When asked if he had been drinking, Mr. Diaz stated that he had consumed one Corona beer."
A field sobriety test was conducted, and the affidavit said Diaz struggled to follow an object with his eyes, had difficulty maintaining his balance, and struggled to stand on one foot.
Diaz was charged with driving under the influence, a Class A misdemeanor, speeding, a Class C misdemeanor, and improper lane changing, a Class C misdemeanor. He was given a $500 bail, which he posted, and is set to be in court on Nov. 5 for a report date.
Lucas Finton covers crime, policing, jails, the courts and criminal justice policy for The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached by phone or email: (901)208-3922 and Lucas.Finton@commercialappeal.com, and followed on X @LucasFinton.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis pastor, restaurant owner Greg Diaz arrested for DUI
