Sacramento, California – What began as a traffic crash in downtown Sacramento has now grown into a federal lawsuit, with State Sen. Sabrina Cervantes accusing the city and several police officers of wrongly treating her as a criminal instead of an injured driver.
Attorneys for Cervantes, a Riverside Democrat, filed the case Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California.
The lawsuit centers on a May 19, 2025, collision near 14th and S streets, where Cervantes was taken to a hospital and later cited on suspicion of driving under the influence. Her complaint argues that officers moved quickly to investigate and arrest her despite a lack of evidence, turning what should have been a routine crash response into something far more serious.
Days after the incident, Cervantes released independent blood and urine test results that she said showed no drugs or alcohol in her system. At the time, she publicly insisted she had done nothing wrong and said she expected her name to be cleared. According to the new lawsuit, that outcome eventually came when the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office declined to file charges.
But Cervantes now claims the damage had already been done. Her attorneys argue the arrest was not simply a mistake, but part of a retaliatory response tied to her legislative work. The filing points to Senate Bill 274, a measure she introduced last year that sought to restrict law enforcement use of automated license plate reader systems, an issue that drew opposition from policing groups.
The lawsuit also raises allegations of discrimination, claiming Cervantes was treated differently because of her ethnicity and sexual orientation. It contrasts her treatment with that of the other driver, described in the filing as a young white woman, who allegedly was not tested for drugs or alcohol even though she struck Cervantes’ vehicle and could not produce a driver’s license at the scene.
Among the most serious claims are accusations that an officer included false statements in a warrant affidavit for a blood draw, including assertions that Cervantes had slurred speech and appeared drowsy. The lawsuit says officers misled a judge despite lacking probable cause and despite Cervantes allegedly saying she would voluntarily provide a sample.
Cervantes is seeking damages, penalties and attorney fees, while accusing the city and officers of false arrest, defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Her attorney, James Quadra, said the case centers on what he called an abuse of power, alleging that officers ignored facts, fabricated evidence and tried to transform a victim into a suspect.