Michael Cruz: San Diego County sheriff's deputy arrested on DUI suspicion for breaching California military base
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA: A San Diego County sheriff's deputy Sergeant Michael Cruz has been arrested on suspicion of driving under influence (DUI) after he attempted to breach the Naval Base Coronado's main gate on Friday night, March 17. Cruz, who has been with the department for 17 years, was off-duty at the time of the incident which prompted the base to be put on lockdown.
The incident occurred at around 10:30 p.m. local time when Cruz drove through the main gate of Naval Air Station North Island, which is part of the Naval Base Coronado, without stopping, the New York Post reported. Base guards took him into custody, and several patrol cars were seen surrounding the entrance near 3rd Street and Alameda Boulevard in Coronado, the outlet noted.
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Naval Air Station North Island was closed due to the security incident
The base was then put on lockdown while security personnel conducted checks. According to a spokesperson for Naval Base Coronado, the main gate at Naval Air Station North Island was closed due to the security incident. The base issued a statement on Facebook, advising people to stay away from the main gate while security conducted its investigation. Later that morning, another post announced that Gate 2 (Carrier Gate) was open for inbound and outbound vehicle traffic. The outbound main gate at 4th Street was also open to vehicle and pedestrian traffic, but the main gate inbound remained closed due to ongoing security activity.
"The incident forced the base into lockdown Friday and multiple gates were also closed while security personnel checked the rest of the base as a precaution", base spokesperson Kevin Dixon told NBC Sandiego. Cruz has been placed on administrative leave while the incident is investigated by the Coronado Police Department and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. According to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, he has been with the department since 2006 and was most recently assigned to the Detention Services Bureau. "The Sheriff's Department will not tolerate criminal behavior in its ranks and will hold employees accountable for their actions," a sheriff's news release said as per the report.
'I woke up to close to 20 gunshots being fired'
"I was actually asleep when the car went through the intersection. I woke up to close to 20 gunshots being fired. I didn't know what it was at first. I looked out the window, saw a bunch of sirens going off, and came down to see what it was all about," a witness described the scene to the outlet.
This is not the first time the Naval Base Coronado as per one report has been involved in a security incident. In February 2022, a motorist was found with bomb-making materials at the same gate on the base. The materials were not assembled into a device, and the driver was detained for questioning. The incident raised concerns about the security of military bases in the United States, prompting a review of security measures at all military installations.
Driving under the influence is a serious offense in California and can result in severe penalties, including fines, imprisonment, and suspension of driving privileges.