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By Brian Hews and Randy Economy
(Simi Valley, CA) Hews Media Group-Community Newspaper 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.
HMG-CN only released only a portion of the tapes last week.
The story received over 2,300 hits and generated many comments, mostly against, but some defending Sojka.
Some of Sojka’s supporters also attacked HMG-CN for releasing the tapes.
Mitchell Green a Simi Valley attorney who has filed a lawsuit for Sojka on an unrelated matter, was one of the most vocal critics of HMG-CN taking to Facebook to blast the paper, while ignoring Sojka’s DUI.
Green has a blog in Simi Valley that he uses for political purposes where he often defends and endorses Sojka and slams anyone going against him.
Sources told HMG-CN that Green called Sojka’s DUI “a simple first-time DUI offense,” and wrote nothing else on his blog about the DUI.
In addition, the Acorn, a local weekly newspaper in Simi Valley that sources tell HMG-CN “does not touch Sojka not matter what,” wrote an Op/Ed this past July 18, four days after the release of the video, attempting to defend the Editor and newspaper for not immediately requesting the video tapes of Sojka’s arrest via a public records request.
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.
In the new video Sojka is seen pulled over and approached by police. After exiting his vehicle, an obviously drunk Sojka goes through several field sobriety tests.
AT 4:30 of the video the officer describes how he came to pull Sojka over, apparently Sojka was so inebriated that he pulled over “very quick” and rolled his window down to talk to the officer. The officer asked “what’s up” and Sojka was heard slurring his words. The officer is heard saying, “either this guy has a speech impediment or this dude is hammered.”
Sojka plead no contest on June 17th to the DUI charges at a Los Angeles County Superior Court, his blood alcohol level was .14.
See additional video, click here.
If the DUI was on personal time, anyone is entitled to mistakes, it was an accident.
Other side, if the DUI was on city related business, this is bad.
City of Cerritos should remember the famous MVA with few CCC persons in the 70’s. Few councilpersons on city field trip in the desert community had a MVA, which injured few council persons, because the accident was declared driving under the influence. My memory, said MVA caused personal injuries, which caused the city taxpayers to pay up for life. If the MVA had media attention compared to today social media, Cerritos residents would not be paying med. Ins for life on these CCC.
City of Cerritos should stop CCC from traveling to: Europe, Mexico and Asia PR junkets trips for business. Cerritos is mere bedroom community, which abused RDA, now left the city in ruins over decades of neglected PW, see photos.
http://cerritospublicworks.blogspot.com/
Also during the early 70’s, drugs were found in the Cerritos CM office, which caused the CM to quit.
https://www.loscerritosnews.net/2014/07/22/additional-video-dui-arrest-of-simi-valley-councilman-steve-sojka-released-by-hmg-cn/
Politicians are to be held to stricter standard and are the icon to the community.
Recently, witnessed CCC fite,batter Cerritos Resident, but since the councilperson was anointed Republican, the city looked away. Yes, this is bad, as the brawl was on city time and on city property. City could be held liable for damages, which comes from the tax payers pocket book.
A DUI is much more than a simple mistake! In calls into question the judgment of an elected official who potentially put lives at risk while driving intoxicated. It is newsworthy and just the kind of information that voters crave in today’s world of press release journalism. Good for HMC for making the information public.
Remember, the public does not know the DNA of the defendant in this case, nor do we know the facts which led up to said intoxication. BAC .14 blood levels may have been poison digested in to his drink/food plate of gravies, etc, & or date drink rape, plus combo of RX etc, plus HWP!
How many times in life, have we digested RX or drink, only to me amazed at the negative effect of said, as something else was added. How many babies are conceived, because of unknown ingredients were digested in to the woman, in order to be raped. How many men are charged w/fathering kids, without correct DNA.
BAC .14 is dangerous, but there is unknown 3-D to this pancakes story. We are only reading and commenting on eye candy of this article!
found the councilman on google https://vid.me/v/ruU 5FS
There is no such thing as an accidental DUI unless somehow a bunch of liquor flies through an open window and into your mouth. Driving at .14 is nothing more than a show of irresponsibility, just as it would be for anyone else. Should he lose his job ? I personally don’t think so. If it happens again, yes for sure.
Simi Valley’s govt is corrupt and there should be a clean sweep of the city council. Simi Govt: you are officially in check and on notice. Clean up your act or plan on a recall. http://SimiLeaks.tumblr.com/
blood levels are for alcohol only! A blood test would reveal what other drugs he had in his system-
You are a bunch of MADD wusses. The dude was good to drive. BAC don’t mean crap. This dude was born to lead and isn’t letting a bunch of pc pansies crowd his party scene. You act like he ran over a baby. Babies aren’t out on the street at midnite. duh,
Give this man a piece of candy! You are deliberately trying to fudge the commentary of the Sojka supporters to support your claims that his supporters go overboard to support him. You are just what the DR. ordered. Do they give you high fives at the Rotary Club?
If your comment wasn’t so off the mark it would be funny.
Remember, all it takes is being drunk and hitting the wrong person and it’s game over for the drunk driver.
He may think he can get off with a slap on the wrist, but he and you better think twice about someone’s family who may want swift street justice. Who on a jury would convict a grieving father or husband to took-out a drunk-driving premodona politician.
Thank you to the officers for getting this drunk off the street. Sojka is embarrassing; his supporters and their gibberish – even more so.
Glad you posted this second vid.