A police officer from the northeast patrol division, which serves Lake Highlands and much of the White Rock Lake area, was arrested in Mesquite over the weekend for aggravated assault, driving while intoxicated and possession of marijuana.
Officer Rafael Mendoza allegedly brandished his weapon at a driver on Interstate 30, according to a statement by Mesquite police.
That witness notified police, who promptly pulled Mendoza over, administered a field sobriety test and arrested him. They found marijuana and the gun in Mendoza’s car, according to the statement.
After the arrest, a second witness stated that someone in a car matching the description of Mendoza’s shot at and hit his vehicle.
Mendoza has worked for the DPD and been assigned to the northeast patrol since 2008.
Back in August 2011, Mendoza was arrested on a domestic violence charge, according to this brief on the NBC DFW blog, which noted:
He was accused of knocking a woman to the ground, handcuffing her and threatening to send her to prison.
The current incident is under investigation and Mendoza is on administrative leave. Again.
