Prosecutors filed misdemeanor charges Tuesday against LAPD Commander Nicole Mehringer and Sgt. James Kelly, who were found allegedly intoxicated inside an unmarked police sedan in Glendale.
Kelly was charged with one count of driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage and one count of driving with a .08% blood alcohol content, according to a criminal complaint, that also alleged Kelly’s blood-alcohol concentration was .20 percent or more.
Mehinger was charged with a single count of public intoxication under Penal Code Section 647(f).
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said both are expected to make an initial appearance in court Wednesday.
The two were found around 1 a.m. seated inside the black Dodge Charger sedan on April 27 near Lomita Avenue and Brand Boulevard, according to the Glendale Police Department.
Mehringer, whose married name is Nicole Alberca, was assigned to the department's Employee Relations Group, the LAPD said at the time of the arrest. Kelly also worked in the same unit. Both officers were placed on administrative leave.
Tahnee Lightfoot, a Glendale police spokeswoman, said the arrests came as part of a DUI investigation, not at a checkpoint. Glendale police released a conflicting statement which read "Nicole Mehringer was detained (not arrested) for public intoxication and taken into custody. She was later released after several hours.
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An LAPD spokeswoman said the department had no comment on the criminal charges, and said both Mehringer and Kelly were still the subjects of pending administrative investigations.
Former LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said in an earlier statement: "I have been briefed on the circumstances of these arrests and am extremely concerned about the allegations. In addition to the criminal cases we have initiated personnel investigations, which can result in serious consequences."
