Jeff Young, assistant chief of university police, was injured in an automobile accident in Ventura County on Saturday, and the county sheriff’s department said they have reason to believe Young may have been under the influence of alcohol.
The traffic accident occurred at 12:43 a.m. in the city of Camarillo, said Ross Bonfiglio, a captain and public information officer for the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department.
Young was traveling northbound and did not negotiate a turn well, Bonfiglio said.
According to the police report, Young crossed over two center medians, struck two signs and a large pine tree, which severely damaged his vehicle, he said.
“The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department believes there to be probable cause that alcohol was a factor in Young’s accident, and officials are trying to decide how significant a factor,” Bonfiglio said.
Nancy Greenstein, UCPD director of police community services, confirmed that Young was involved in an automobile accident.
But UCPD officials could not confirm the details of the automobile accident.
“We don’t particularly have details, other than at this point (Young) was in an accident over the weekend,” Greenstein said. “He was in an auto accident, taken to the hospital and is expected to make a good recovery.”
After the accident, Bonfiglio said, Young was transported to Saint John’s Hospital in Oxnard.
But the hospital denied the police department’s request for Young’s blood to be drawn, Bonfiglio said.
“For some reason we couldn’t get the hospital to draw a blood sample,” he said. “We routinely take blood after accidents like these, but we could not get the hospital to cooperate.”
Bonfiglio said a chemical sample was needed as part of the investigation to help determine if Young was under the influence.
Hospitals usually always cooperate with law enforcement, but in this case the hospital chose not to, he said.
It is unclear why the hospital, in this case, chose not to comply, he said.
Ventura police officials arrested Young for driving under the influence, but he was released pending further investigation, Bonfiglio said.
Ventura police will continue to investigate before any further action can be taken, Bonfiglio said.
“We’re going to submit the case to the district attorney’s office in Ventura County to investigate the incident,” Bonfiglio said.
Greenstein said UCPD would also be investigating the accident.
“Once we assure that Young is in a stable condition, we’ll begin investigating the accident to find out what happened,” Greenstein said.