Big rig driver arrested for drunk driving near Avila Beach
December 14, 2025
By KAREN VELIE
A California Highway Patrol officer arrested an allegedly drunk big rig driver on Dec. 10 on Highway 101 near Avila Beach.
Shortly before 9 p.m., the officer pulled over the commercial truck driver for speeds of up to 82 mph. The highway speed limit for semitrailer trucks is 55 mph.
The officer noticed 34-year-old Joseph Ryan Gomez appeared intoxicated.
“The Commercial Driver refused a chemical test and a judge had to issue a warrant for a mandatory required chemical test,” the CHP posted on Instagram. “Zero tolerance for commercial drivers, especially when driving a vehicle that could possibly have a gross vehicle weight of up to 80,000 pounds.”
The officer booked Gomez into the San Luis Obispo County Jail. He is no longer in custody.
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