San Diego County deputy arrested for driving vehicle through gate of military base, officials say

A San Diego County sheriff’s deputy has been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after he drove through the main gate of a military base without stopping Friday night, the sheriff’s department said. The incident took place at Naval Base Coronado.

Sergeant Michael Cruz, who has worked for the sheriff’s department since 2006, was off-duty at the time of the incident, the sheriff’s department said in a news release.

Cruz has been placed on administrative leave while the Coronado Police Department and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service investigate the incident, the sheriff’s department said.

Naval Base Coronado was placed on lockdown Friday night after the vehicle drove through the facility’s main gate without stopping, a military spokesman said.

Naval Base Coronado spokesman Kevin Dixon told KNSD-TV that the driver was detained by base guards after the “gate runner” drove without stopping through the entrance to Naval Air Station North Island, which is part of Naval Base Coronado.

KNSD-TV reported that several patrol cars surrounded the entrance near 3rd Street and Alameda Boulevard in Coronado around 10:30 p.m.

Dixon said several gates at the air station near San Diego were closed while security officials checked the facility.

“The main gate of Naval Air Station North Island is currently closed due to a security incident. Please stay clear of the main gate until security is in place,” said a post on Naval Base Coronado’s Facebook page Saturday morning. Investigating.”

Later that morning, Read another Facebook post.“Gate 2 (Carrier Gate) is now open to inbound and outbound vehicular traffic. Outbound main gate at 4th Street is open to vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Inbound main gate due to security activity remains closed.”

Naval Air Station North Island is one of eight US military installations that comprise Naval Base Coronado.

In February 2022, a motorist was found with bomb-making equipment at the same gate of the base. The base said at the time that the material was not deposited into a device and the driver was taken into custody for questioning.