A very prominent former California prosecutor and Kern County’s longest-serving district attorney is facing mulitple charges after allegedly driving under the influence. New surfaced details show that, according to the police, the man, while communicating his willingness to partake in field sobriety tests, said, “I guess I’m a deuce.”
According to Bakersfield Police Department (BPD) documents obtained by KGET, the incident occurred on Monday, June 1, 2026. At around 4:30 p.m., BPD officers responded to the intersection of Stockdale Highway and Calloway Drive.
Officers had been informed that a driver had fallen asleep behind the wheel. Furthermore, documents detailed that the individual in question had “slumped over the steering wheel.”
Once the BPD arrived at the scene, they encountered a black 2019 Tesla “Model X.” The vehicle, as per the police, was observed driving through multiple lanes, even striking the median strip.
Alleged DUI Driver Identified
Shortly after, BDP officers conducted a traffic stop on the Tesla. The man behind the wheel was then identified as 77-year-old Ed Jagels.
The former district attorney was approached by one of the responding officers. Allegedly, multiple signs of impairment were observed, including bloodshot eyes and slurred speech.
Jagels was escorted out of his vehicle and was instructed to sit on the ground. Then, according to a supplemental report, officers picked up a strong alcohol odor.
‘I’m a Deuce’
At one point during the traffic stop, a BPD officer asked Jagels if he was willing to participate in field sobriety tests. Allegedly, Jagels responded, “Guess I gotta, I guess I’m a deuce.”
A breathalyzer test was attempted mulitple times, to no avail. Insufficient breath samples were the cause, and an officer alleged that Jagels’ inability to follow instructions was a sign of impairment.
Furthermore, when asked to stand on one leg and turn, Jagels engaged the officers by talking about his age, police said. One officer wrote in the report that the 77-year-old man was stalling the investigation.
Twice the Legal Limit, Arrest
Jagels was eventually transported to Kern Medical. There, a blood sample was taken. According to the police, his blood alcohol content read 0.153. That’s almost twice the state’s legal limit (0.08).
The former district attorney was placed under arrest. He was booked into Lerdo jail on two misdemeanor DUI counts.
Jagels has since posted his $10,000 bail. His Tesla, meanwhile, was towed and impounded.
A Decades-Long Career
Reportedly, Jagels served seven terms as the district attorney for the Kern County District Attorney’s Office. He started way back in 1983 and retired in 2010.
He gained notoriety for his crackdown on a series of adults accused of committing child molestation in the 80s. He secured 26 convictions in total, out of which 25 were reversed as these relied heavily on the children’s testimony, with many of the minors later recanting.
To avoid a conflict of interest, the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office agreed to handle the case. After all, Jagels had reportedly visited the Kern County DA’s office after a press room was named after him just weeks before his DUI arrest.