Ex-Sports and Rec official arrested again for ‘ice’ and reckless driving

Former Division of Sports and Recreation deputy director John Benavente Reyes Jr., who has a pending criminal case for possession of illegal drugs, was arrested again Friday morning on the same charge and for reckless driving.

Reyes, 36, was taken to Superior Court yesterday on charges of illegal possession of a controlled substance and reckless driving. His bail was set at $2,250 cash. Preliminary hearing is on Feb. 10 at 1:30pm.

Assistant public defender Michael Sato was appointed as counsel for Reyes. Assistant attorney general Chester Hinds appeared for the government at the bail hearing.

Police detective Catherine B. Pangelinan stated in her report she was driving along Beach Road in Chalan Kanoa on Friday at 10:56am when she saw a blue car by Viva Poker heading north on the outer lane.

Pangelinan said the blue car, which she later found to be a Lexus with license plate ACH-868 and being driven by Reyes, accelerated and made a sudden switch to the inner lane, cutting off a vehicle in front. It then again made a sudden switch to the outer lane, causing a near collision with the same vehicle on the outer lane.

The Lexus again switched back to the inner lane, nearly hitting the front of a pickup truck by Dial-Rent-To-Own.

Pangelinan said she made a U-turn in front of Bobby’s Market, followed the Lexus and pulled it over near the Moon Night Store.

Pangelinan said as she explained the reason for the violator stop, Reyes immediately replied that the other car almost hit his vehicle.

Pangelinan cited Reyes for reckless driving, unsafe lane change, and failing to signal. She then arrested him.

Another detective found in Reyes’ front pocket a small ziplock bag that contained a white crystalline substance. The detective said the substance later tested presumptive positive for methamphetamine or “ice.”

During an inventory of the car, a detective found a branch of marijuana inside the glove compartment. A corrections officer also found in Reyes’ pouch a cut straw with the residue of a white crystalline substance.

Last Oct. 10, police arrested Reyes for alleged possession of “ice” and marijuana at a parking lot of a store in San Jose.

At a preliminary hearing, Associate Judge Joseph Camacho dismissed one count of possession of “ice” and one count of possession of marijuana.

The judge, however, found probable cause to charge Reyes with one count of possession of “ice.”

According to court records, Reyes had several prior traffic cases, mostly for violating the speed limit.