CHP recommends charging Migden; case goes to D.A.

Contra Costa Times ^ | 6/4/7 | Matthias Gafni

[SmithL]

The California Highway Patrol has recommended State Sen. Carole Migden be charged with one misdemeanor count of reckless driving resulting in bodily injury, an official announced Monday.

The Solano County District Attorney's Office now has the CHP investigation and can decide whether to file case, said Sgt. Les Bishop.

The investigation concluded that Migden was at fault in two separate collisions May 18, including one in Vallejo.

Bishop said Migden was involved in a single-vehicle accident on eastbound Interstate 80 just east of Redwood Parkway. The CHP found she made an unsafe turning movement, Bishop said, when she struck the median.

The CHP found Migden was operating a vehicle at an unsafe speed for the conditions when she rear-ended a Vallejo woman's car later that day at State Route 12 and Beck Avenue in Fairfield. Migden slammed her state-issued 2007 Toyota Highlander into a 2005 Honda sedan, which left the Vallejo woman with minor injuries.

In both collisions, Bishop said the senator's cell phone use was a contributing factor.

Bishop again said the field sobriety results showed Migden was not under the influence. The senator has since told media outlets that her cancer drugs may have caused some impairment that day.

Because of Migden's vehicle code violations, the CHP sent the Department of Motor Vehicles a request for her license to be re-evaluated, Bishop said.

"As a department, we wanted to make sure to do a fair and unbiased investigation," Bishop said.

Any further information on the case would have to come through the district attorney's office, he said.

[Dilbert San Diego]

The case should be handled as any other. The fact that she is a state Senator, and a lesbian, and a good Democrat, should not cause this to be a white wash type of investigation. The fact that she apparently has an illness and a possible bad reaction to medication is not an excuse that would be accepted from a Republican. Let the system take its course. And if she loses her license to drive so be it.

[LetGoNow]

Good for them. I was afraid it would be slid under the rug.

[VeniVidiVici]

What about Leaving the Scene of an Accident?

The “whitewash” is already in progress.

[Right Cal Gal]

This could prove interesting, since Solano County law enforcement, where I live, has a ZERO tolerance for driving under the influence (drugs OR alcohol). If the Solano D.A. lets Midgen get away with this, he can kiss his re-election goodbye, since he has been hardnosed when dealing with his county constituents on such issues.

[hawkboy]

Book’em Dano!

[FreePaul]

Bishop again said the field sobriety results showed Migden was not under the influence. The senator has since told media outlets that her cancer drugs may have caused some impairment that day.

So the senator may have been "impaired" but the field test didn't discover it? Or is Sgt. Bishop looking for a better job via political influence?

[calcowgirl]

CHP has recommended... Migden be charged with one misdemeanor count of reckless driving resulting in bodily injury

Two separate collisions, failure to stop for the first, and that equates to ONE misdemeanor count? She should have the book thrown at her specifically because she is a state legislator!