900 area of El Camino Real, where Lee was ultimately arrested
SANTA CLARA — As if Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office didn’t have enough on its plate after the suspected murder of a mentally ill man by guards at the main jail, it has also had to sack 22 employees throughout 2015 and onward for drunken and disorderly conduct, sexual acts with prisoners, and/or biased/demeaning behavior towards imnmates.
However, the alarming behavior of another Sheriff’s Deputy occurred after work hours.
The department is reporting the arrest of 33-year-old Sheriff’s Deputy Benjamin Lee for brandishing a weapon and felony DUI. The offenses are alleged to have occurred on January 10 at approximately 3:30 AM.
According to the SCPD, Lee was arrested near the 900 Block of El Camino Real in Santa Clara after reports of an Asian male suspect brandishing a gun at an employee through the drive-thru window at Jack In The Box.
As reported by the Mercury News, the Deputy Sheriff’s Association is saddened by the news.
“Our deputies make arrests for these crimes regularly. They see firsthand the consequences caused by impaired drivers,” said Association Vice President Roger Winslow. “DUI by anyone is unacceptable; doubly so when it involves a deputy sheriff. We are held to a higher standard and rightly so.”
