Sonoma County prosecutor out on leave after arrest on suspected DUI

A Sonoma County prosecutor is on leave after she was arrested earlier this month on suspicion of driving with a blood alcohol content nearly four times the legal limit.

Deputy District Attorney Jenica Popik Leonard, who rear-ended a car at a busy Santa Rosa intersection during rush hour, has yet to be charged with any crimes.

“Our office has a conflict handling the criminal matter, so we referred the matter to the Attorney General’s Office,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Brian Staebell, a spokesman for District Attorney Jill Ravitch’s office, said Tuesday. “As a result of this incident Jenica is on leave from our office.”

Local defense attorney Marty Woods, who is representing Leonard, called the arrest “a very unfortunate, sad situation.”

“But it’s not newsworthy,” Woods said.

“I’m certain that she will deal with the issues that she needs to deal with, and she will come back and be a worthy public servant.”

Santa Rosa police officers were dispatched to a collision at College and Mendocino avenues at 5:20 p.m. April 15, according to department spokesman Sgt. Chris Mahurin.

Leonard had crashed into the car in front of her, and when she and the other driver pulled into a nearby parking lot to exchange information, she hit another parked vehicle, Mahurin said. There were no injuries.

Officers conducted a field sobriety test after Leonard showed “signs of impairment,” Mahurin said. The test showed her blood alcohol content was nearly four times the state’s legal limit of 0.08%.

The police department would not provide a more specific figure, citing city policy.

A blood alcohol content of 0.3% or higher can lead to complete loss of consciousness and increased potential for death, according to American Addiction Centers. This level also may cause a severe increase in heart rate, irregular breathing and loss of bladder control.

Mahurin said Leonard received a medical examination before she was booked into the Sonoma County Jail.

Staebell declined to comment on whether Leonard was working at the time of her arrest, on a Friday evening.

Leonard has no prior arrests in Santa Rosa, police records show.

Officials in Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office did not respond to questions from The Press Democrat about the status of the investigation by late Wednesday afternoon.

Paul Burglin, a San Rafael defense lawyer and DUI law expert, said Leonard may face punitive consequences from the State Bar of California if she is charged with an aggravated misdemeanor — which is possible, he said, given her high blood alcohol content.

You can reach Staff Writer Emily Wilder at 707-521-5337 or emily.wilder@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @vv1lder.