An off-duty San Jose police officer was arrested Sunday on suspicion of drinking and driving after he collided with another vehicle, the San Jose Police Department said on Monday.
Raydarius Surry, a three-year veteran of the department, allegedly displayed symptoms of alcohol influence after a non-injury collision near the intersection of East San Fernando and South Fourth streets, SJPD said.
Officers arrived at the scene around 11:25 p.m. and administered field tests and a preliminary alcohol screening on Surry before he was taken to Santa Clara County jail.
An adult male driver of the other vehicle was also displaying signs of intoxication, police said, and he too was taken to jail.
San Jose police Chief Anthony Mata said he has "no tolerance" for behavior that does not align with the values of the department.
"I will do everything in my authority to hold employees accountable when there is a violation of department policy or the law," he said.
Surry's case will be forwarded to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office for criminal charges, the SJPD said.
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The incident is an internal administrative issue in the department and therefore police will not provide further information, the department said.
It’s the latest in a string of arrests within the department this year.
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Just over a week ago, sources told NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit a different officer was arrested on suspicion of DUI on July 8 just before he began his scheduled shift with the department.
He was arrested on police property. Sources said he voluntarily checked into a rehab program after.
In May, following other controversies, Mata announced a department-wide reform plan that includes increasing random drug and alcohol testing of officers, along with a wellness check-in program.
“And this new arrest suggests that this is not sinking in with the rank-and-file officers who continue to get in trouble with the law,” said legal analyst Steven Clark.
In March, officer De’Jon Packer died from what the medical examiner’s office determined was fentanyl poisoning.
In April, another officer was placed on leave after being accused of showing up drunk to the scene of a baby’s kidnapping.
In May, another officer was arrested on DUI suspicion while off duty.
Days later, the chief publicly escorted officer Matthew Dominguez out of the department after he was accused of responding to a family’s call for help, then masturbating in front of family members.
On the latest arrest overnight, NBC Bay Area asked if Surry will be put on administrative leave.
The department said, “A DUI arrest or offense does not rise to the level of any type of predatory behavior that would place any member of the community at risk. There is an administrative process that drivers go through with the DMV regarding their license status after a DUI arrest. This offense does not rise to the level where we would automatically put someone on administrative leave.”
“Any DUI incident puts the public in danger,” said Clark. “Is that officer going to be entrusted with a San Jose Police Department vehicle while this case is pending.”
