MOSCOW, October 21 (RIA Novosti) - Alan Long, the mayor of the town of Murrieta in southern California has announced his resignation; the mayor was arrested earlier this week for an alleged drunk driving accident that resulted in four teenagers being injured, according to Reuters.
"I do not believe under the circumstances that it is appropriate for me to remain in these positions," Long said via a statement issued by his attorney.
According to USA Today, Long resigned both as Mayor and as a city council member, but still retained his position as a battalion chief of the Anaheim Fire Department. He also intends to participate in the upcoming City Council elections, which are scheduled to take place on November 4. According to the newspaper, Long expects to be fully exonerated but wishes to avoid “even one hint of impropriety” during the proceedings.
Long was arrested on October 16 when the truck he was driving crashed into a car carrying four Murrieta Valley High School students, ages 14 to 17, who sustained moderate to major injuries as a result, according to the Riverside Press-Enterprise. Reuters also notes that Long remained at the scene of the crash until the police arrived.
USA Today also points out that a breath test revealed that Long’s blood-alcohol level was below the legal limit at the time of the accident.
According to Reuters, Long was released on a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to make an appearance in court on December 11.
Alan Long attracted nationwide attention when he publicly challenged the US government’s plans to relocate a large number of people caught trying to illegally enter Texas from Mexico to a US Border Patrol facility in Murrieta for processing. A crowd of protesters in Murrieta who were unhappy with the policy blocked the roads and forced several buses carrying immigrant detainees to turn around.
