LA school board member held on suspicion of drunk in public

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A member of the Los Angeles school board facing political money-laundering charges was detained last month on suspicion of being drunk in public.

Pasadena city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian tells the Los Angeles Times officers took Ref Rodriguez into custody at a restaurant around 4:30 p.m. on March 16 and held him in jail for more than five hours.

He was released without being cited or charged.

The 46-year-old Rodriguez said in a statement to the Times he was detained for his own safety.

Rodriguez called it a “non-event” but says he is seeking counseling and has joined a support group.

Rodriguez was president of the panel overseeing the nation’s second-largest school district until he was charged with crimes involving his successful 2015 campaign for a Board of Education seat.

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Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com/