McAllen, Texas’ First Latino Mayor Leo Montalvo Gets Pulled Over For DWI, Asks, “Don’t You Know Who I Am?”
9 June 2009, 11:15 AM. By Alex Alvarez
It would appear that we have a new Embarrassing Latino Politician on our hands. Only not literally this time. Because… Anyway: Leo Montalvo, who had the honor of being McAllen’s first Latino mayor, was pulled over on Sunday after getting into an accident while (allegedly) driving drunk. According to police records, he attempted to use his political legacy as a means of acting above the law. Noble!
Montalvo apparently told his arresting officer:
Do you know who I am? Please sir, don’t ruin my several years of public service.
Because it is, obviously, the police officer’s actions that would prove embarrassing, not Montalvo’s decision to get crunk in his car while listening to Pitbull. Or something.
Police say they still do not know the cause of the crash, but that Montalvo had bloodshot eyes, smelled like alcohol and had slurred speech after he was stopped for having crashed into a car carrying a mother and her children. At the time, Montalvo said, “It’s only a little bump; they are ok,” referring to the passengers in the other car. Montalvo confessed to having had “like one or two beers” while golfing earlier that day.
The incident proves doubly embarrassing for Montalvo who, back in 2001 when his son was arrested for drunk driving, declared that no one was above the law.
If found guilty, Montalvo stands to face up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine. Montalvo also refused to take a Breathalyzer test, which could see him losing his driver’s license.
At least he looks adorable in his mugshot, though.
Now, a question: In every report we’ve read on this incident, it is always mentioned that Montalvo is not only a former mayor, but specifically McAllen’s first Latino mayor. Does it make you embarrassed when someone’s Latinoness is brought up along with their crime? Even if that crime is, say, shouting loudly to your various extended family members and spilling ice cream at a Korean yoghurt shop while the owner looks on, horrified and you pretend not to speak Spanish?
Former McAllen mayor arrested on DWI [The Monitor]
(4) 
Post Your Comment
Did you know you can now share a link, image or video?
Click to submit your own notas.
Wow. Has he been taking lessons form Kwame Kilpatrick’s chief of staff? http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=8568
(Second paragraph, Christine Beatty)
Clearly we can top that McAllen, our Mayor was busted for DUI as well but it was more amusing.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080226-9999-1m26madrid.html
“La Mesa City Council members are calling for a public discussion after police found Mayor Art Madrid lying on the sidewalk near his SUV and a city employee in the driver’s seat – both apparently intoxicated – about a block from Madrid’s home. “
What’s really embarrassing is that McAllen didn’t get its first Hispanic mayor until 1997. That city is 90% Hispanic and five minutes from the mexican border.
I was gonna say the exact same thing. I was actually VERY surprised that he is the first.