Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation official charged with drunken driving

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

The chief of staff for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation has been charged with drunken driving for an incident in California.

According to news reports, Antonio M. Beltran had been drinking before crashing his car into a light-rail train in Santa Monica. The passengers were his two teenaged sons, who also had been drinking, police said.

"In my career, 23 year, I've seen some bad collisions... but I've never seen one where you have a driver, being the father, who had been drinking cause the collision and you had to potential for what we're dealing with now," Lt. Saul Rodriguez told FOX 11.

One of Beltran's sons, identified as a 16-year-old, remains in critical condition. The other was released after being treated at a hospital, The New London Day reported.

Beltran is now facing charges of driving under the influence with injury involved, child endangerment with serious injury and furnishing alcohol to a minor, the paper said. His blood alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit, according to FOX 11.

"Although we regret learning of the tragic accident in southern California last week involving three of our family members, we are grateful they're alive," Lori Potter, the communications director for the Connecticut-based tribe, told the paper.

The incident occurred near downtown Santa Monica in the early morning hours on Wednesday, April 18, according to the police department The train car is part of the Los Angeles Metro Expo Line.

"A preliminary investigation revealed the train was travelling west approaching Lincoln Blvd as a vehicle travelling north on Lincoln Blvd ran a red light causing the collision," the police department said.