A Mendocino County Sheriff’s Deputy is under investigation after allegedly taking a county-owned patrol vehicle to a Willits bar while off duty, crashing it into a guardrail, and then continuing on to spend the night drinking before driving the damaged vehicle home.
As per a press release obtained by MendoFever, the incident came to light on April 24 when a sheriff’s sergeant arrived at the Willits substation and noticed damage to a patrol vehicle. The damage included “paint and some crush damage” to the passenger-side quarter panel, according to Mendocino County Sheriff Matt Kendall.
Sheriff Matt Kendall elaborated on the findings in an interview, confirming that video from the patrol car shows the deputy struck the guardrail on his way to the bar, continued on his way, and would spend the night at the establishment before driving the damaged vehicle home. All evidence led Kendall to believe that the deputy had been intoxicated, although no sobriety test was conducted at the time.
The deputy, who has served in both patrol and corrections divisions for over three years, did not report the damage as required. “When they damage a vehicle, they’re supposed to immediately send an email and fill out a county damage form,” Kendall said.
The deputy’s actions were in clear violation of department policy, which only allows use of patrol vehicles for official duties such as training, court appearances, or when on-call.
When asked whether the deputy had any previous incidents or red flags related to alcohol use, Kendall responded, “No previous incidents, no red flags.” He acknowledged that California employers are required to offer assistance for substance use issues, and the department does so proactively when needed, but emphasized that assistance doesn’t negate consequences.
“You don’t get to do the things that you did there and have a clean slate,” Kendall said. “He bought the ticket; he’s going to take the ride.”
Kendall said the matter was “immediately reported” to the California Highway Patrol’s Garberville office, which is now investigating the case, including possible charges of DUI, reckless driving, hit and run, and damage to public property. An investigator from the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office is also assisting.
The deputy was placed on paid administrative leave and has had his peace officer powers revoked pending the outcome of the investigation. His name is currently being withheld due to the active criminal case.
“I can’t control what these guys do in their off-duty time,” Kendall said. “But I can control how I respond to it.”
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center at 707-463-4086 or leave an anonymous tip at 707-234-2100.
A paid vacation for a crime that would IMMEDIATELY have a “regular” civilian thrown in jail & life upended. The good ol’ boys club yet again spits in the face of the public who pays them to serve us. Friggin joke!
Isn’t that what the supervisors did with Cubison the county auditor? From what I have read that’s not working out so well for them now.
It’s called the presumption of innocence and due process. Paid suspension is the standard practice in such situations in this country for public officials while charges are pending, a policy that was not followed in the case of Cubbison
Something missing here??? Which Deputy??
Exactly the type of behavior we’ve all come to expect from the MCSO.
If this were a civilian, their name would be posted for all to see but when it’s law enforcement, a double standard obviously applies. Just another reason not to trust law enforcement when they don’t have to abide by the same rules or have the same consequences as the rest of us.
What a joke
Paid administrative leave? WTF! Fire this bum! If the cops can’t obey the laws they are paid to enforce they should be terminated immediately.
Screwed the pooch.
Okay. So, what I’m seeing is that our local law enforcement just simply does not give a crap about anything. They’re pistol whipping women, they’re entering homes without warrants, pulling people over for bunk reasons, and then this. When is enough going to be enough? THIS is who we are supposed to believe are here to serve and protect us? They get away with everything with a slap on the wrist and paid vacation time. I worry about my daughters and I don’t ever feel safe around local enforcement. This is why people are angry, doesn’t anyone see that?
Calm down you sexy beast!
Oops! Wrong Jess. My profound apologies.
Typical.
Exactly, I’m not surprised. Society keeps lamenting about cops because we still thinks cops are actually better humans than us. They’re not
Neither are doctors, etc
They’re literally normal people.
They’re just like us.
The problem is cars and alcohol.
We can transport our minds across time and space with our phones, but we haven’t figured out how to get drunk bodies home without killing themselves or someone else.
So everyone is concerned with this but we need to understand that law enforcement is held to different standards than normal people and don’t get me started on the Rapists that they parole to Mendocino County on purpose and then when they reoffend, they get a slap on the wrist!! THIS WHOLE SITUATION IS WHY I MOVED OUT OF CALIFORNIA!! The whole state is corrupted!!!
I still think rape should be charged as attempted murder cause pregnancy can kill you. Especially if you’re young or unsupported.
Way to go Sheriff Kendall transparency love it you Rock maybe you can teach Chief Cervenka or executive Cervenka. How to address his boy scouts
Scoopy relax Chev Kendall came through. Fort Bragg chief of police Cervenka would have found the officer unfounded and not guilty of anything. Remember he’s trying to run for a Senate seat in the state of California on taxpayer money. Does Fort Bragg want that not me
“…His name is currently being withheld due to the active criminal case….”
WHY..? Criminal proceedings are PUBLIC RECORDS…
Do they have to wait until that person is actually arrested / charged ???
Alcohol, is the elephant in the room.
The ring that binds us. Cops, doctors, teachers, transients, it knows no socio-economic bounds.
Alcohol related liver disease is fast approaching the rate of heart disease.
https://aaukiah.org/meetings/
On a differnt article of this story the officer is Marcus McCarty.
don’t be shy, release his name
Funny how you leave part out that the deputy’s
female friend was driving MCSO vehicle when leaving bar, after knocking over a Harley on their way to car, Can’t get much drunker than that! ,
Getreal,
Do your civic duty and bear witness to the investigators.
I heard Ed Rooney was in the car too…whistling dixie
99.99% of all crime and misdemeanors is alcohol based. Booking log DUI after DUI. It is known many, MANY LEOs , investigators and DAs drive drunk without repercussions or consequences. The 3 hour per drink clearance law has no bearing on local good ole boy employees. Smile n wave. The beat goes on. Sweeping it under the lumpy rug.
So should a person and a person’s family be concerned if one is taken to jail, will that person be safe to ride handcuffed in a cage with the Mendocino county sheriff’s. If the sheriff’s are going to drive patrol cars drunk, what else are they using and abusing. This officer has been with the department for 3 years. He clearly knows the rules, but decided to break them. Makes one question the whole department and it’s ability to trust an officer on and off duty. Considering the past and recent history of other officers wrong doings. How many times do they get to get it wrong before an innocent life gets taken or judge wrong.
Would not hurt for the feds to come in and take the lid of the entire cesspool. The background in the county. Nepotism. Fraud. Clever book cooking. Convenient staff suicides, murders and suspect firings.
“Paid leave”, absolutely ridiculous!
If it was one of us they would put our name already on blast cops get away with everything they get to use their phone while they’re driving
Hopefully it was van buren
Its ok, as a lib demo meathead, he was with Kamaltoe and Pelosi.
As REALITY comes out. Kendall made false statements to cover up for his deputy and department. OK got it the on board Caremark shows it all. Release the dash cam footage. Kendall falsified information to create what he wanted to happen vs what did actually happen. Disgusting abuse of power.
The person tending the bar that night told me that when the squad car left the lot a woman was driving it & McArty was riding shotgun.
Why didn’t they call CHP? Everyone witnessed this BS and did NOTHING wTF is wrong with people??? No other officers WPD, CHP, Cal fire officers or Sherriff drove by as the car sat at the bar for hours??? That’s some really sad truth there.