HOLYOKE — At-large City Councilor Israel Rivera pleaded not guilty to a charge of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol in Holyoke District Court on Monday after he was arrested Sunday night by police.
Rivera is currently facing civil charges of speeding and failure to stop, and a criminal charge of OUI. Rivera pleaded not guilty to all three charges during his arraignment and he is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 26.
Rivera was driving on Appleton Street when state police allegedly observed him driving 40 mph in a 25 mph zone before he ran a red light. He reached a dead end once he got to a barricade off Appleton Street bridge which is currently closed, and veered onto a sidewalk to avoid the barricade, according to police. Once he veered onto the sidewalk, police pulled Rivera over and noted he had glassy eyes and smelled alcohol coming from his vehicle.
After being pulled over, Rivera mentioned he had just come from an event at Wycoff Country Club and repeatedly brought up his position in the city, according to a police report.
“I’m a city councilor[sic], you can’t really work with me?” Police reported Rivera as saying, and “that’s fine, I’ll just cut the budget … everyone gets a pass but I don’t?”
After police noted the scent of alcohol emanating from his vehicle, Rivera initially told police he had consumed “two” alcoholic drinks. Police said he failed a series of sobriety tests and his speech was slurred.
Following the incident, Rivera said he was seeking to be “transparent” in a Facebook post that has since been taken down. On Tuesday, he declined to comment with the case ongoing.
“I understand the seriousness of this matter and the concern it may cause,” he wrote in the Facebook post. “I respect the legal process and am committed to addressing this situation responsibly and rebuilding trust through my actions moving forward.”
Rivera has been a close collaborator with Mayor Joshua Garcia, who said he is aware of the arrest.
“As Councilor Rivera handles his personal issues with the appropriate authorities, the city government will continue to move forward,” Garcia said. “Israel is an extremely resilient Holyoker. I am happy he is taking responsibility for the matter and I am confident he will persevere.”
Rivera is currently serving a first four-year term on the City Council, and he was reelected this past November.
Previously, Rivera served five years in prison for drug-related charges. Since 2012, he has earned multiple degrees, including an associate degree from Holyoke Community College and a sociology degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. This spring, he is expecting to graduate from Westfield State University with a master’s degree in public administration.
Over the past four years, Rivera worked his way up to becoming the regional director of Families First, an organization focused on assisting families and children. Before Families First, he worked as a community engagement manager with the Holyoke Public Schools.
This isn’t the first time the Holyoke City Council has been shaken with news of a sitting council member’s arrest. In March of 2017, then-City Councilor David Bartley was arrested and charged with operating under the influence. He was mandated to attend a driver retraining course, pay almost $1,400 in fines and lost his license for a 45 days. He never left his seat until being voted out this past November.