By KAREN VELIE
Atascadero Police arrested San Luis Obispo Undersheriff Steve Bolts for driving under the influence on El Camino Real near Del Rio Road on Saturday night at 8:30 p.m., according to the police log.
Bolts, 56, was booked at the Atascadero Police Department and then released with a citation. There were five driving under the influence and drunk in public arrests made on Friday and Saturday in Atascadero. Except for Bolts, all other arrestees were transported to San Luis Obispo County Jail, according to the police log.
In Atascadero, police either book and release or transport drunk drivers to jail, according to the police log.
Officers secured Bolts’ Ford truck and left it at the scene.
In 2004, Sheriff Pat Hedges created the second-in-command undersheriff position as part of a restructuring that put a buffer between the sheriff and his staff. Bolts said he plans to step down when a new sheriff takes over at the end of year.
According to sheriff insiders, Bolts has been running the department for Hedges.
“Hedges is gone most of the time and has Bolts do his work in his absence,” said one sheriff’s department employee who asked to remain anonymous.
