LAPD Sergeant And Commander Face Charges In Alleged DUI

GLENDALE, CA — A Los Angeles Police Department sergeant is set to be arraigned Wednesday on DUI charges stemming from his April 27 arrest in Glendale, along with an LAPD commander charged with public intoxication involving the same incident.

Sgt. James Kelly, now 47, was charged last Friday with one misdemeanor count each of driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage and driving with a 0.08 percent blood alcohol content, along with an allegation that his blood alcohol concentration was 0.20 percent or more.

LAPD Cmdr. Nicole Mehringer, 47, is charged with one misdemeanor count of public intoxication. She is also set to be arraigned Wednesday at the Glendale courthouse.

The two were arrested early April 27 by Glendale police near Lomita Avenue and Brand Boulevard. They were released from custody later that morning.

The two -- who were assigned to the LAPD's Employee Relations Group -- were both placed on administrative leave, LAPD Officer Christopher No said shortly after their arrests.

Then-LAPD Chief Charlie Beck released a statement in which he said he had "been briefed on the circumstances of these arrests and am extremely concerned about the allegations." He said then that the LAPD had initiated personnel investigations that "can result in serious consequences."

No immediate update was available from the LAPD on the current status of Kelly and Mehringer.

City News Service; Photo: Shutterstock