Murrieta Mayor Alan Long resigns after DUI arrest, but will seek re-election

MURRIETA, Calif. (KABC) -- Murrieta Mayor Alan Long resigned from office Monday after being arrested on Thursday for suspicion of driving under the influence following a crash that injured four high school students. Long said he would continue to seek re-election.

"I want to make it very clear that while I am resigning my position as mayor and as a member of the city council, I am not withdrawing from the current election," said Long at a Monday news conference.

Police responded to a traffic collision at the intersection of Jefferson and Lily avenues at 8:18 p.m. Thursday and found a truck had slammed into the rear of a passenger vehicle. Police say the driver of the truck, identified as 44-year-old Alan William Long of Murrieta, was determined to be under the influence of alcohol. A preliminary test shows Long had a blood-alcohol-content level of .07, below the legal limit of .08, but police say Long failed the field sobriety test.

Long was taken into custody. He was booked at the Southwest Detention Center and was later released. He is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 10.

Long said he did not want there to be a hint of impropriety into the investigation surrounding his alleged DUI crash.

"To the people of Murrieta, I believe that once all facts regarding the event have been revealed and the legal due process is complete, that I will be exonerated," Long said Monday.

The four victims in the car were identified as Murrieta Valley High School cheerleaders, ages 14 to 17, who were returning home from a nighttime pep rally. The four reportedly suffered moderate to major injuries and were rushed to area hospitals.

"I understand from the witnesses that I talked to that he ran a stop sign first, and then he rear-ended the car. I also understand that he did not render aid at the scene," said L. Wallace Payte, an attorney for two of the injured victims.

Payte said her two clients were seriously injured and are recovering.

"We don't know the facts yet," said Murrieta resident Debbie Marshall. "Do you know the facts? Does anybody know the facts? Have you seen the police report or anything?"

"I believe in my heart that Alan made the right choice," said Murrieta resident Joan Padberg. "I think for the citizens and the electorate, he did what he had to do."

Long was serving his first four-year term as mayor and is running for re-election on a campaign of safety and moral character.

Long is also a battalion chief for the Anaheim Fire Department.