Central schools superintendent arrested on domestic violence charge, Fresno police say
Andrew Alvarado, the superintendent of Central Unified Schools in Fresno, was arrested last week on suspicion of a domestic violence felony, the Fresno Police Department said Monday.
Few details were immediately available, and Alvarado declined to discuss the incident when contacted for comment Monday.
According to Fresno Police Sgt. Diane Vega, deputies responded at 9:30 p.m. June 3 to a home in northwest Fresno where the caller told police was Alvarado was “pushing and throwing things.”
“Officers responded and spoke to both involved parties, and during the investigation, officers determined Mr. Alvarado had committed a felony domestic disturbance charge and was taken into custody,” Vega told The Bee.
Alvarado, 49, was booked into the Fresno County Jail on suspicion of inflicting corporal injury on a spouse, a felony. Vega said Alvarado cooperated with the arresting officers.
He posted a $2,500 bond and was released early June 4, the Sheriff’s Office said.
What happens next is in the hands of the district attorney, Alvarado told The Bee.
“There’s a process we’re going to have to go through, and I’m confident the district attorney will make the appropriate decision,” he said.
Jerry Stanley, spokesman for the Fresno County District Attorney, said the domestic violence case has not yet been submitted for review.
Alvarado said he “doesn’t know” what the appropriate decision will be “at this point. “This is all still very new and fresh,” Alvarado said.
Alvarado declined to answer any questions about what took place on Thursday before his arrest.
The leader of Fresno County’s third-largest school district also was booked on an unrelated misdemeanor charge of violating a state labor law related to workers’ compensation, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Last year, Alvarado was charged with two misdemeanor violations, contracting without a license and failure to secure payment for compensation. A judge issued an arrest warrant for Alvarado and the case is still pending, according to Fresno County Superior Court records.
Central Unified school board trustees did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday.
Alvarado was named Central Unified superintendent on June 26, 2018. He came to the Fresno district from Golden Valley Unified in Madera Ranchos.
This story was originally published June 7, 2021 at 5:03 PM.
