LA City Council Staffers Face Drunk Driving Charges

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Two Los Angeles City Council staffers faced charges of drunk driving Tuesday.

Fredy Ceja, 36, a spokesman for First District City Councilman Gil Cedillo, is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday morning after his arrest Saturday just after midnight at Sixth and Spring streets in downtown Los Angeles.

Ceja's car had collided with a Metro bus, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Ceja, whose title in Cedillo's office is communications director, is being held on $50,000 bail. Cedillo's chief-of-staff, Arturo Chavez, said Ceja was cited for DUI during his off-work hours while using his personal vehicle.

Cedillo's office has called the incident a personal matter.

Just about an hour later the same night, 27-year-old Fredy Torres, a field deputy for Eighth District City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson, was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI at 43rd Street and McKinley Avenue, according to the LAPD. Torres posted $15,000 bail and was released about noon that day, according to jail records.

Torres was driving a city-issued car when he was arrested, according to the councilman's office.

Solomon Rivera, Harris-Dawson's chief of staff, confirmed receiving information from the LAPD and that they have spoken to the employee.

"We take this very seriously. However, this is still under investigation, so we have no further comment," Rivera said.

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