Westminster Councilman Andy Quach arrested for second alleged DUI

WESTMINSTER, Calif. (KABC) -- Westminster City Councilman Andy Quach was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence by California Highway Patrol officials Monday for the second time in five years.

Quach, 42, is accused of crashing his vehicle into the metal security gate of an apartment complex in the 15100 block of Brookhurst Street, across the street from a middle school, at about 10 a.m.

Westminster police said residents detained Quach until officers arrived.

"Mr. Quach was not injured, but showed signs of impairment. As such, we contacted the California Highway Patrol and requested that they handle the investigation," Westminster Police Department released in a statement.

The California Highway Patrol took over the case, so Westminster police could avoid a conflict of interest. CHP says Quach was arrested after failing a field sobriety test.

Quach was appointed to the Westminster City Council in November 2002, and re-elected in 2006 and 2010. The Vietnamese immigrant fled his homeland by boat in 1980 and joined the U.S. Navy at the age of 20, according to the Westminster city website.

In September 2009, Quach plead guilty to DUI after he crashed his car into a pole and knocked out power to hundreds of homes in Little Saigon, the community he represents. He was sentenced to three years probation, 10 days with a Caltrans crew, $2,000 in fines and a nine-month-long alcohol awareness program. During that arrest, Quach's blood-alcohol level was .26 percent, more than three times the legal limit.

"It's unfortunate that the trust those people put into him to give him a second chance, that he violated that," Jones added.

"If you're representing some city, you should be more responsible for your actions," Irvine resident Annie Dang said.

OCSD records show the councilman reported his occupation as "unemployed" while being booked into the Orange County Jail Monday.

Quach did not seek re-election. His term is expected to finish mid-December.

Quach was released Tuesday after posting $10,000 bail.