Murrieta Mayor Arrested for DUI Crash that Injured HS Cheerleaders, Apologizes & Seeks Re-Election

Press-Enterprise ^ | October 17, 2014 | SARAH BURGE AND DAVE DOWNEY

[DogByte6RER]

MURRIETA: Mayor, arrested in suspected DUI crash that injured four, apologizes

Murrieta Mayor Alan Long was arrested on suspicion of DUI on Thursday after a crash left four Murrieta Valley High School cheerleaders with injuries ranging from moderate to major, authorities said.

Long, 44, was booked into the Southwest Detention Center in French Valley and later released on $50,000 bail. He did not respond to requests for comment.

About 8:15 p.m., Long was driving south on Jefferson Avenue when his full-size pickup truck crashed into the back of a car waiting to make a left turn at Lily Avenue, Murrieta police Lt. Julie Hoxmeier said.

Long showed signs of alcohol impairment, police said, though preliminary results from a breathalyzer test showed a blood-alcohol level of 0.07 percent, just below the legal limit of 0.08. After performing field sobriety tests, officers determined Long was impaired, a police news release said. Hoxmeier said the definitive evidence will be the results of a blood sample collected for testing.

Long’s attorney, Virginia Blumenthal, issued a written statement saying that Long “extends his sincere apologies” for the incident.

“Mr. Long has never been arrested before and has never been at fault in an accident,” Blumenthal said. “It is my firm belief that while there has been an accident, there was no crime committed.”

The injured girls, ranging in age from 14 to 17, were taken to hospitals for treatment.

Karen Parris, spokeswoman for the Murrieta Valley Unified School District, said the students are members of the cheer squad at Murrieta Valley and had performed in a pep rally Thursday night in anticipation of Friday’s football game against Vista Murrieta.

“Three of the four are already home,” she said.

[EEGator]

“He hit CHEERLEADERS!!”

So would Laz...

[Mastador1]

Good one!