Suspect in crash is a deputy

A Huntington Beach man whose pickup smashed into two light poles on Costa Mesa’s Victoria Street in an alleged drunk-driving crash Friday is an Orange County Sheriff’s deputy.

As of Wednesday, six days after the crash, the sheriff’s department has yet to place Matthew Cheeks, 31, on administrative leave, although Costa Mesa police consider the case as a possible DUI.

He’s still on active duty stationed in the department’s Intake Release Center in its Santa Ana jail, said Sheriff’s spokesman John McDonald.

Cheeks joined the county sheriff’s ranks in 2004, McDonald said.

“As far as any misconduct, if that comes to our attention, we would take appropriate action. Depending on how egregious it was,” McDonald said.

Costa Mesa police have sent their report on the crash to the Orange County district attorney’s office to consider DUI charges, said Costa Mesa Sgt. Bryan Glass.

Cheeks was hospitalized after his truck ricocheted off a curb and hit two light poles on the other side of the road.

The impact broke one of the poles and sent the shattered section hurtling onto the street near Pacific Avenue, police said.

Firefighters had to cut him out of the truck. Cheeks suffered minor injuries, authorities said.

In April, another Orange County Sheriff’s Department officer, Lt. Erin Guidice, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after rear-ending a car in Irvine. At the time, she was the sheriff’s Newport Beach Harbor master.

After being charged with DUI, she was re-assigned to different duties at the Orange County Jail, but was not placed on leave.

Guidice pleaded guilty to DUI in July and was given three years’ probation.