Keeping My City Safe

Thank you, Deputy Buechler:

MISSION VIEJO – An Orange County sheriff's deputy was recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Drivingon Monday night.

Cary Buechler, a deputy assigned to Mission Viejo's police services, received a resolution commending her efforts in arresting 37 drunken drivers last year.

Sharry Graham, a MADD victim advocate, presented the framed resolution to Buechler during Mission Viejo's City Council meeting. The plaque named her the top departmental DUI arresting officer.

Buechler, of Rancho Santa Margarita, 41, has been a deputy for 19 years and assigned to Mission Viejo for three. She said it's the second time she has received the award. She received the recognition when she was assigned to Dana Point about five years ago, said Buechler.

A few years ago my kids and I were walking up to the community tennis courts and passed a car parked on the main street that runs through our neighborhood. The brake lights were on, engine running, but there didn't seem to be movement from the driver (the windows were tinted and it was hard to see inside). My JDLR detector went off (JDLR= Just Didn't Look Right).

When the car didn't move for quite awhile I decided to call the Sheriff's Department. Two female deputies arrived (I don't know if Buechler was one of them) and discovered the driver of the vehicle was drunk and had passed out after parking on our street (he didn't live in the neighborhood). Thankfully he was taken off the street before he hurt somebody.