Wasco council members call for Garcia to resign

Mayor Alex Garcia is being called to resign by some City Council members after his recent arrest for driving under the influence.

At the City Council meeting, council members urged City Manager Scott Hurlbert to put the possibility of removing Garcia as mayor onto a future meeting agenda.

Garcia was arrested in June by the California Highway Patrol for driving under the influence. He was arraigned on June 28 and is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 19.

Council members Tilo Cortez and Vincent Martinez said Garcia’s legal issues may distract from important city business. Cortez recommended that Garcia step down as mayor.

“I would welcome that as a gesture of good faith,” Cortez said.

Cortez said he has received a number of communications from community members and he feels it is his responsibility as the senior member of the council to ask that it be placed on the July 20 agenda and discussed at the next meeting.

This was not the first time that Garcia has been charged. In 2009, Garcia appeared in a Fresno County courthouse on charges of reckless driving, driving under the influence, as well as a failure in the lighting of the vehicle.

The driving under the influence charge was dismissed and Garcia pled nolo contender to the reckless driving and remaining charges. He was ordered to pay a fine, sentenced to 90 days at the Fresno County Jail and ordered to attend a 12 Hour Alcohol Education Program.

At the City Council meeting on Tuesday night, Garcia said that because of the active case, he could not comment on the situation, but looked forward to addressing it when he is able to do so.