EDINBURG — An ardent supporter of the council was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated early Thursday morning, and he was released shortly after Mayor Pro-Tem David Torres called police.
EDINBURG — An ardent supporter of the council was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated early Thursday morning, and he was released shortly after Mayor Pro-Tem David Torres called police.
Miguel Angel Garza, 47, is expected to face criminal charges this afternoon after being released on a promise to return to face a judge.
Police arrested Garza — a vocal supporter of the majority faction — shortly after 2 a.m. Thursday, said Edinburg Assistant Chief Orlando Garcia. Details about what led to his arrest were not released.
Edinburg Police Chief David White said Torres stepped in shortly after Garza was arrested.
“He gave me a call (and asked) if it was possible, if we were able, so we decided to have him come up,” White said. “This is not uncommon. We do this at times. This is not an isolated (incident) where we let somebody comeback.”
Torres did not respond to a request for comment Friday. Edinburg Spokeswoman Cary Zayas said he is in a conference with Edinburg Mayor Richard Molina.
White stressed Garza’s charges were not dropped.
“He will have his day in court,” White said. “Today he should be arraigned and transported to county jail on whatever bond the judge gives him.”
Garza’s charges could vary between a misdemeanor and a felony, White said.
This is not Garza’s first DWI. Public records indicate Garza was arrested three times on the same charge between 1988 and 1991. The latest run-in with law enforcement happened in 2009, when Edinburg police arrested him on theft of property charges.
“The whole key is that nobody is dropping charges on him,” the police chief said. “It’s something we do from time to time depending on the nature of what’s going on.”
There is no clear policy on releasing someone from custody on a surety bond.
“Everything is different,” White said. “I can’t give you one blanket way of doing it. It’s not something special for the council that’s in place or the past council.”
Garza was released to someone between 7 and 8 a.m. Thursday, White said. He did not know whether police administered a blood alcohol test.
White did not appear fazed by the perception of preferential treatment.
“We don’t punish, so it’s not a slap on the hand,” he said. “We present it to the court and the court makes decisions on punishment.”
