Irwindale Council Member Arrested, Accused of DUI June 8

Written by AARON CASTREJON
CityWatch Editor

IRWINDALE - Police arrested an Irwindale council member June 8 and booked him on suspicion of DUI.

Mark Anthony Breceda, 64, was stopped in the area of Arrow Highway and Irwindale Avenue. Officers responded to a call of an erratic driver around 9:39 p.m. Officers located a vehicle matching the description of the one provided by the caller and conducted a traffic stop. Breceda was arrested and booked on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to the Irwindale Police Department.

Breceda was arrested at 10:09 p.m., according to Los Angeles County booking records. He was cited and released.

Breceda was first elected to the Irwindale City Council March 1999. He was reelected in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2020. She has served as mayor a record nine times, according to his bio on the city of Irwindale website.

Breceda is no stranger to controversy.

In 2013, Breceda and several other city officials were charged by Los Angeles County District Attorney prosecutors with embezzlement, misappropriation of public funds and conflict of interest in allegedly using $200,000 of city money and spending the cash on ritzy trips to New York that occurred between 2001 and 2005. The trips lasted for up to six days at a time and were made under the premise of seeking a higher bond rating for the city, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

The alleged adventures in the Big Apple included trips to baseball games, musicals, a stay at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and $12,000 in limo rides.

The prosecution’s case imploded after a series of legal setbacks, which included an appellate court’s rejection of an early round of charges. A judge five years later put the final nail in the coffin and ruled the statute of limitations was exceeded in filing criminal charges.

The charges against Breceda and three other city officials were dropped.

On Christmas morning 2021, a large and noisy party was being hosted at Breceda’s home complete with a mariachi band. At some point an argument allegedly broke out with some members of the band and people within the home. A band member fired off a handgun into the air.

A large number of bullet casings were recovered from the ground outside of Breceda’s home. The alleged gunman was arrested.

During Irwindale City Council meetings held in January 2022, members of the council and the public denounced Breceda for the incident, for which he reportedly claimed ignorance and stated he barely hear the gunshots, that his party was already over and the incident unfolded in the street and not on his property.

Breceda’s term as city council member expires November 5, 2024.

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