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By Brian Hews and Randy Economy
(Simi Valley, CA) Hews Media Group-Community Newspaper has exclusively obtained the video of the arrest of Simi Valley City Councilman Steve Sojka after he was found to be driving under the influence on March 11, 2014 in the El Segundo area.
Sojka plead no contest on June 17th to the DUI charges at a Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Sojka, who is married, states on the video obtained by HMG-CN that he was staying at the Hotel Hermosa in Hermosa Beach.
The audio seems to indicate he claims he had consumed Red Bull & Vodka drinks at Baja Sharkeez in the area and then went to a local I Hop (presumably in El Segundo).
The council member then appears to tell the police officers he just “dropped off a friend” but does not know the address she lives at.
The police gave Councilman Sojka two field breath tests and in the tape released by HMG-CN on Tuesday, Councilman Sojka makes it a point to tell the officers he serves on the City Council of Simi Valley between tests.
He also makes a point to tell the examining officer that Sojka’s father served as a police chief for Simi Valley.
Friends of Sojka circulated several versions of the incident publicly including saying that was not driving but trying to sober up in his car, and that he was attempting to find a hotel to stay at.
Editor’s note: The video somehow crashed on You tube so we reloaded, at the time of the reload, the video had 413 views.
What time was this and what was the blood alcohol level? (just the facts maam)
And what the hell was a Simi hack doing in El Segundo? Why was he over the hill? That’s a huge grind from Simi to El Segundo, who did he drop off some lobbyist broad? I bet she was hot.
And who the hell drinks red bulls with Vodka?
It was a prostitute, he was in the red light district of El Segundo.
But Mr. Halub, isn’t the entire city of El Segundo the red light district?
He should go. One wonders how many times the local police let him go. His identifying himself as a city councilman and the son of cop, is a plea for special treatment. It probably worked before.
Yes Mr. Hews, you were SENT this tape, which was only in police possession until now. How did it jump out of their archives into your hands? You did not go looking for it on your own and this story is far afield from Los Cerritos news usual gutter interests. If it’s so important, why didn’t the LA Times get it? Readers should understand that when something like this is sent to a rag like yours, there’s an agenda with a coward behind it who has a personal vendetta. The fact is the case has gone to trial and is over and the punishment has been handed down. This video is long after the fact and completely irrelevant. Since you’re hot and bothered for something to print, why don’t you tap into TMZ’s archives? This is so far after the fact any reasonably intelligent person can smell the BS on it.
We will not reveal our sources. The video was shown on ABC last night, NBC wanted it too. We are not a rag, we won the LA Press Club Award for Best Investigative Newspaper in Los Angeles. We put Assessor Noguez in jail not the LA Times. We also won 3 additional LAPC awards this year. We do not have an agenda, the video was sent to us, we published it. Our address is on our website we are not hiding unlike you with the fake name and email. We have already caught one commentator who insulted us like you, turned out he was a friend of Sojka’s. Sojka is a public figure as such his life is open, if he was a regular guy, this tape would never have surfaced. And I am sure that MADD would be very angry about you sticking up for a convicted drunk driver….
We don’t want drunk drivers in our neighborhoods. Keep your business in Simi Valley. Thank you ESPD.
All of LA County is now a red light district
I am always amazed when a public official is caught doing improper or illegal acts and then supporters attack those reporting it. Seems relevant, newsworthy and the time of information that voters should know about.
Don’t hate on beautiful El Segundo. The cops did their job. A red light encounter is only as far as a mouse click to CL. Sound off if you like ESPD.
Why the no contest plea?
I had the understanding that it was same as a guilty plea, but can’t be used against you in a civil lawsuit. Was there an accident or property damage involved?
Thank you for posting this video. It’s a good reminder that public officials should be held to a higher standard. So Sojka deserves whatever backlash comes of his mistake.
Still, his DUI should NOT be excused. He’s a damn grown man who should know better, not some guy in his 20s who’s still learning about consequences.
Sojka’s probably only remorseful (publicly) because he got caught. That’s how it always is.
That guy is currently suing somebody for putting out some true information about him. Revenge on his enemies. What a good guy. Not just a drunk, but a corrupt drunk at that.
I wonder which escort service he used. I hear he picked her up off of the website known as Redbook, which got taken down by the feds just recently!
I voted for Vodka, I mean Sojka. He sits on the Ventura County Transportation Committee. The rest of the city council should remove him from that appointment.
Should you have published that it was the 3rd attempt with a breathalyzer that doomed Mr. Sojka? The first two did not register. Doesn’t that mean NOT ACCURATE? He could have fought this in court and won but he manned up and made a plea. It’s obvious that all your readers have NEVER been caught doing anything wrong. Eisenhower had a mistress for 31 years. Kennedy fooled around. Clinton fooled around. We all know about Nixon and in the future we will find out about Obama. Relax. Get over it. If public figures should be held to a “higher standard”, why do we keep electing the bad ones?
Public officials should be held to a higher standard because they should conduct themselves in a manner that does not embarrass the entity (city, organization, etc.) they represent.
They run for office unabashedly claiming their suitability and qualifications for the job. Part of that job is maintaining credibility with the public.
I did not vote for Sojka, so I’m happy to say I did not elect a “bad one.”
As for “Relax. Get over it.” Tell that to any victim of a drunk driver. I dare you. (Uh huh, thought so…)
Mr. Hews, you posted this on July 15. According to the El Segundo City Clerk’s Office, the only person who had possession of the video by July 15 was Simi Valley resident Tom Mackel. Did you obtain this video from Tom Mackel? What is Mr. Mackel’s agenda in seeing this video being posted? Is Mr. Mackel running for office?
Simi Valley must be a strange city. Going after private citizens to protect elected officials? You can keep your communism. Good thing Randy can out bad politicians and their cronies.
Randy has done good work here IMO. He is the “Louis” of Los Cerritos. More videos please.
@Tom Foolery, what would be your agenda for keeping the video out of public light? An elected official committed a crime and the voters were made aware of the criminal activity. This, in part, is exactly why we have the 1st Amendment.
I think any current charges and convictions should be published on the official’s agency(s) website and the individual’s website using public funds. Each state should also have it on their state site. We don’t need anymore Leland Yee’s.
Come over to Tom Foolery’s shooting gallery! http://www.VoteSimiValley.com Mitchell Green is the renowned muscle lawyer for Mr. Sojka and another elected named Glen Becerra.
Former simi valley assistant city attorney Mitch Green who’s wife was the former city clerk? Both were employed by the city when Sojka was on council? Why does he work so hard to protect Sojka?
I believe attorneys get paid for the services they provide.