'Drunk' Driver Nabbed With Baby On Board

A young dad out on parole was arrested for drunk driving early Saturday morning after he nearly hit a police officer while driving with a suspended license in a car that carried his one-year-old baby.

Raul Acosta, 21, of Oakland, has been arrested for driving under the influence, child endangerment and parole violation, according to a San Leandro police department report that offered this account of the incident.

At about 03:00 am Saturday, police were controlling traffic on the 300 block of Park St. while firefighters extinguished a vehicle fire.

While at this traffic control post, an officer spotted a 1990 black Ford Mustang race through a stop sign and turn southbound on to Park St. from Belleview, nearly striking an SLPD officer in the process.

Other officers pursued and stopped the Mustang near Davis St. and San Leandro Blvd.

Police said Acosta, the driver, appeared to be under the influence of alcohol. A records check revealed that his license had been suspended and that he was on parole. There were three other passengers in the vehicle including Acosta’s one year old baby.

One of the other passengers, a 20 year old Oakland resident, was arrested for an outstanding traffic warrant, police said.

“The decision to drive while under the influence with a small child in the car . . .  could have been tragic," said police department spokesman Lt. Jeff Tudor.

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