Junior Seau, former football star, drives off cliff after arrest for alleged domestic violence [Updated]

Former USC and San Diego Chargers football star Junior Seau sustained unknown injuries Monday morning after the car he was driving plunged off a cliff in San Diego County.

The incident occurred after he was arrested in Oceanside on suspicion of domestic violence. An Oceanside Police Department spokesman said he could not comment on the case and that a statement would be released soon. He said his department was not investigating the accident.

The crash occurred in Carlsbad, south of Oceanside, when the sport utility vehicle driven by Seau, who also played for the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots, went over a beachside cliff.

The 41-year-old had been released from a San Diego County jail facility just before the crash.

[Updated at 11:14 a.m: Oceanside police released a statement detailing Seau's arrest, which occurred early Monday, at 12:20 a.m.

Junior Seau was arrested for the alleged assault of his ... live-in girlfriend. The victim reportedly sustained minor injuries that did not require medical treatment. On October 17, 2010 at 10:13 p.m. police were dispatched to the Seau residence on South Strand in Oceanside to investigate the report of a domestic violence assault. The 25-year-old victim reported that Junior Seau assaulted her during a verbal argument. Seau was not at the residence when police arrived.

Seau called the victim while police were on scene and spoke to the officers; he agreed to return to the home. Shortly after midnight Seau drove back to the scene and he was arrested without incident as he approached the residence.

Police said Seau was taken to the Vista Detention Facility, where he posted bail.]

[Updated at 11:45 a.m.: Officials told Fox 5 San Diego that Seau's injuries were not life threatening. He's being treated at Scripps La Jolla Hospital. As seen on Fox 5 helicopter footage, Seau's Cadillac SUV showed heavy front-end damage but no signs of having rolled.]

-- Andrew Blankstein

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Photos, from top: Junior Seau's SUV after it plunged off an ocean cliff. The cliff where the crash occurred. Credit: Fox 5 San Diego. See more photos here.

Comments

[Jeannie]

eeebayou..........."Was this a Seauicide attempt?" Nice play on words..............Hopefully it was just an accident tho. Sad to think if he really tried to kill himself.

[Bill B]

After yesterday's game, I expected to see something like this from a Dallas Cowboy. Good Luck, Junior. Things will get better.

[Johnny Dee]

Gee . . . a 41 year old man with a 25 year old live in girlfriend (note: not wife).

I am totally shocked that any kind of problem came from this kind of relationship.

[de motu]

mmmm

[smokehouse]

Money and privilege. Deadly.

[Marley]

Seau could have been killed and you souless jerks make stupid jokes. Maybe next time it could be your father, brother, lover or even you...... will it be still be so funny? Feel better Seau, God loves you. Fight on!

[Josh]

Poor Jr.

[Officer D.]

DV is a big joke. Thanks OJ for making it the crime de jour!

[JJ]

Bad Day.

[Michelle]

David, you're a true genius. So apparently you don't consider beating up women a problem. I guess its because of idiots like you that domestic violence is continuing to grow. Its all such a big joke isn't it?

[Hollywood Kev]

Taking all them football hits came in handy, must have been a rough ride going down the hill.

[Bruin Steve]

It was all a stunt for an Onstar ad. I can see it now.

[RunsWithScissors]

Add this to the many sad stories involving football players and professional athletes in general. Junior pretty much owns the cities of San Diego and Los Angeles, and if anyone has any doubts, just go to a USC game and count the Seau 55 jerseys worn by the fans.

Off topic: That Escalade held up pretty well considering it went off a cliff. It probably saved his life.

[Dave]

I think everyone should wait until all the facts come out here... Junior has been a giving member of the San Diego community for a very long time, he deserves more from his fellow San Diegons then jumping to conclusions....

[with aloha]

You hit rock (or sandy) bottom, but God and General Motors have given you a second chance. A lot of us have been there. Leave the old man there dead on the beach. Let the ocean carry him away. All the honors of this world must disappear in the end. Make your amends, then go and walk with God in a newness of life. The love of God is eternal. You are going to be OK.

[Kevin]

Hay US morons! If you want to stay happy and out of jail, stay single. Feminism has destroyed the US way of life....

[Gary Hench]

One of the best readers of an offensive set up in his prime. Prowler of the secondary. Speaking of defense man, you need to lawyer up dude! Anger management, apologize you'll be fine!

[Vince]

Total nut case. I hope the guy is okay because I hate to see the State of California bleed more money over something like this.

[Temecbee]

He was lucky it wasn't high tide!

I do hope he gets the help he needs.

[David]

Definition of an NFL player - a thug that hasn't gotten arrested yet.

[Mark]

I never heard of the guy. Hope the car can be fixed. Good luck to him too, that car probably saved his life. Let's hope so.

[sickoffools]

No woman is worth the personal torture to go this far. If a female is part of the environment to lash out, walk away, get out of there, end it with her. Prisons are full of emotional decisions gone wry and another man attempts his life. She ain't worth it. You should have been driving to your buddies for a beer or take a drive to clear the head; next time keep going straight.

[Nonion]

Maybe he just got distracted.

[george]

NFL HIGH STANDARDS?

They say Micheal Vick is a monster when he put his losing dogs to death. I have more respect for Vick, than the NFL, at least Vick ended their misery, while the NFL Lets them suffer.....

cronies of the NFL!!

[sgilmore]

Everyone assumes he is guilty of the domestic violence. There is an epidemic of falsely accused of domestic violence. My ex-wife called the police and told them I hit her and I was arrested. Twenty one days in jail and a year and a half later before it was dismissed.

Police said, "yep, she has a red mark on her arm, you are under arrest." I never touched her. It was a nightmare, no judge wants to dispose of a DV case on the odd chance that the accused kills the accuser. The judge would then be a scapegoat. There are alot of legitimate DV cases out there but it is now all to easy to be used as a weapon by vindictive women.