District 8 Councilwoman Ivalis Meza Gonzalez made her first court appearance Monday on a four-month-old drunk driving case, but it’s still likely to another 30 days before she enters a plea, the Express-News reports.
On Monday, Bexar County Judge Alfredo Ximenez approved a “reset” on the case for a fourth time, according to the daily. Meza Gonzalez was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated on July 24, shortly into her first term on council.
Ximenez granted the extension after Meza Gonzalez’s criminal defense attorneys, David Christian and Thom Nisbet, requested more time to review the evidence against their client.
The Express-News reports that Ximenez recognized Nisbet, who represented one of the San Antonio police officers charged in connection with the slaying of Melissa Perez, had been entangled with another case, the daily reports.
However, evidence against Meza Gonzalez also hasn’t been handed over to her defense team because of a slew of recusals, according to separate reporting by MySA.
Since the councilwoman’s arrest, both Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales and Bexar County Court 9 Judge Gliria Saldana have recused themselves from the case, citing conflicts of interest, MySA reports.
What’s more, the Texas Attorney General’s Office didn’t assign an independent prosecutor to the councilwoman’s case until last month, according to the online news outlet.
“This is a normal reset that my attorneys assured me occurs, so we’re just moving forward with this process and hoping to find some resolution,” Meza Gonzalez told reporters, according to MySA. “The judge said it’s 30 days to reset, so we’re just following that process along.”
Meza Gonzalez was arrested and charged with suspicion of DWI with a blood alcohol content of at least 0.15 while driving home from the ritzy Centre Club this summer.
In September, City Council censured Meza Gonzalez, a punishment that amounted to little more than a slap on the wrist. However, Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones also stripped Meza Gonzalez of her committee assignments, which hinders her ability to give input on policy proposals and effectively represent her constituents.
Meza Gonzalez has said the current charge is the second she’s faced a DWI allegation in court. The previous charges, which stemmed from a 2010 incident, were expunged from her record after she was acquitted by a jury.
Meza Gonzalez is the third councilperson in as many years to face a drunk driving charge. The others are sitting Councilman Marc Whyte and his District 10 predecessor, Clayton Perry.
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