Nevada State senator Arrested on DUI Suspicion After Being Found Asleep at Stoplight
LAS VEGAS – Nevada State Senator Edgar Flores was arrested on a misdemeanor DUI charge after police found him asleep at the wheel of his vehicle at a Las Vegas stoplight late Monday night, according too reports and police bodycam footage.
The incident unfolded when officers responded to a report of a vehicle stopped for an extended period at a traffic signal. Officers attempted to wake Flores by knocking on his window and flashing their lights before he awoke, startled, according to a caption accompanying a photo released by the New York Post.
“Sorry, I think I must have fallen asleep,” flores reportedly told the officer.
When asked about alcohol consumption, Flores initially stated he’d had “just a drink,” clarifying it was “one beer” around midnight.
After verifying Flores’ identity, an officer instructed a colleague to administer a full field sobriety test.The bodycam video shows Flores appearing to struggle with the test, ultimately leading to his arrest.
Flores, who represents northeastern Clark County, was booked into the Clark County detention center. Under Nevada state law,he was released after a blood draw without bail or a court appearance.
While Flores has acknowledged being tired, he maintains he was not impaired while driving. His team released a statement on X (formerly Twitter) explaining he was stopped ”after a long day of work, community events, evening exercise, and a late dinner.” They claim a preliminary breathalyzer test at the scene registered 0.0 and anticipate the blood test results will confirm this.
Though, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMP) stated Flores refused a “preliminary breath test” at the scene. Toxicology results are expected to take approximately 90 days to process, KLAS reported.
Flores’ campaign team stated they “respect the officers’ diligence in ensuring public safety,” but will “reviewing weather his rights and privacy were properly respected.”
A status hearing regarding the filing of a criminal complaint against Flores is scheduled for January 12.
