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District 8 Councilwoman Ivalis Meza Gonzalez will receive deferred adjudication after a no contest plea to obstruction of a highway with nine months of probation. The decision stems from an alleged drunk driving incident last year.
Court records show that Judge Alfredo Jimenez granted the sentence on Tuesday. In addition to the probation, the councilwoman must complete 24 hours of community service, a DWI education course, and victim impact panel. Records indicated that she has already completed the course and the panel requirements. There’s a fine of $1,000 and about $270 in court costs.
In the July 2025 incident, Meza Gonzalez was pulled over by an SAPD officer and during a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) breathalyzer test, registered 0.15, which is more than twice the legal limit. That could have made a DWI charge a Class A misdemeanor. The obstruction charge carries a lower penalty as a Class B, instead.
In a statement, the councilwoman said the matter has been resolved.
"This has been a difficult chapter, but I'm committed to learning from it. With this matter resolved, I remain focused on my family, public service, and continuing to represent the residents of District 8,” she said.
Meza Gonzalez is a freshman council member, elected and inaugurated in June of last year with the mayor and several other new council members. Previously she served in the office of former Mayor Ron Nirenberg as his chief of staff. She currently sits on the city council’s audit, economic development and community health committees.
Previously, two council members faced DWI charges in recent years. Incumbent District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte was pulled over at the end of 2023 and his predecessor former District 10 Councilman Clayton Perry was also arrested in 2022. Perry opted not to seek re-election for his seat but led an unsuccessful bid for mayor last year. Whyte is still on the council.
All three had faced censure from the council in votes akin to a formal reprimand and were temporarily removed from their committee appointments.
