San Joaquin County Supervisor Tom Patti was arrested by California Highway Patrol officers, Wednesday afternoon, under suspicion of driving under the influence.
California Highway Patrol officials tell ABC10 officers responded to the scene of a three-vehicle collision on northbound I-5 near Lathrop Road. Officials say that a 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe, driven by Patti, caused the collision after running into the rear of another car, which then collided with a Toyota Prius.
According to investigators, Patti was observed with symptoms of intoxication. A DUI test was administered at the scene, where investigators determined Patti to be under the influence.
A statement released by the supervisor's aid and written by Patti confirmed the supervisor was involved in a non-injury accident, but denies he was under the influence of any illegal substances or alcohol. Patti claimed he failed the drug investigation due to "something unexpected or accidental related to [his] prescribed medications."
“I understand the severity of what happened and accept responsibility for my actions. I am truly thankful that no one was hurt. I provided a roadside sobriety test that confirmed no alcohol was present. Followed by a blood test that will show no illegal drugs were in my system. I firmly believe that something unexpected or accidental related to my prescribed medications occurred. Recently I have had several major spine surgeries that put me in critical care as a result from an accident where I was a pedestrian hit by a car. I would like to apologize with all my heart to my family, friends and constituents. I will do everything in my power to ensure this never happens again. I would like to personally thank the representatives of the California Highway Patrol and the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s office for their professionalism."
Patti was arrested at the scene and booked into San Joaquin County Jail for driving under the influence of any drug.
