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

[O'Guillory]

....in March 2010, I had a tonic-clonic seizure while my wife was being taken to the hospital for a heart attack,
...in my fugue-state, I drove about 7 miles without knowing it, drive off a mountain cliff, dropped about 80 feet, flipped 8 times, and was thrown from the car, in spite of having secured a seat belt,..and landed about 40 feet from the wreck......broke my back in four spots, neck in five, tailbone and five ribs,.....lost an eye for while and had 19 staples in my brain/head......what car was that?

a 2004 Scion Xa......buy it....

Regards,

O'Guillory

[Tyler]

I remember when Ryan Leaf was a rookie QB for the Chargers, Junior Seau was one of a handful of buttheads who used to pick on him constantly. Seau was always this ultra-machismo jerk. Good that he's suffering in his post NFL career. Not a good guy at all

[Dan Farraday]

Seriously, perhaps he was fully engaged in some self-activity and at that critical moment lost control of vehicle.

This man should be given an apology by the police for interfering with his constitutional right to assaulting women and drive his SUV's off a cliff.

[Kevin In SJ]

It seems that he willingly came back and faced the music. We don't even know if there were 'bruises or marks' - or do we? With this girl being 25 and living with someone who is 16 years older than her, seems like her maturity level is in question (as well as his). The way this could have played out, is that he got pissed off at her, and left, she got even more pissed off at him, and threatened to call the police, he kept going, she called the police.....Once they heard DV they have to react - for the best of both parties - remove the 'abuser from the abusee' or remove the 'accuser from the accusee'. They have rules and procedures that must be followed in cases like this. After he got out, he was probably tired, humiliated, pissed off, and if he was on the phone with her, he could have been pulling over because he was getting overly pissed off when he may have misjudged the cliff.
I really hate how the 'news' reports things - they have already convicted this guy, he should already be signed up for Anger Managment classes - either court appointed, or prison appointed. The fact that she had no injures that needed to be treated can mean a lot of things. In this case, could it mean there were no injuries, visible or otherwise that the police could see? Normally they will insist that if you do have a cut or abraision that you attend an ER for documentation of the case, especially bruises which can fade in some people over a matter of hours or days.
All that being said, if he did abuse her (or if she abused him and then called the police in a hissy), but if he did abuse her - physically at all, it should be at the least recorded, and noted. He should have mandatory time in jail to get Anger Mgmt classes - it seems like the outpatient ones just don't work. And she should move in with her parents or siblings. Typically the dames that football players will live with, tend to be very high strung, in your face with attitude types, but also tiny little things that can be easily broken in half by players breathing the wrong way - if this did happen, she needs to look at it as a wake up call - and get out before its too late - but with out knowing the situation, if she is a 'gold digger' she will probably latch on to that lifestyle, at least until she can move in with someone else

[Ralph Gizzip]

Can you say 'Roid Rage boys and girls?

I knew you could.

[Ha]

That is no CLIFF ... it is more like a SLOPE with no real chance of killing yourself unless you flipped it over.
Hope he gets some help!

[john]

Probably another phoney charge by a nut girlfriend.

[fiscusd]

What a dunce....

[J]

NO, I mean, NO woman is worth all that man.

[Rip Tide]

Stay Classy San Diego . . .

[acatunderthestars]

Should not have played for the pats......

should have retired a charger...

[D.V. serviver]

How sad...My children and I lived in a Domestic Violence shelter and Jr. Seau was a "supporter/ rolemodle"for our children???? hope he does the right thing "If it's true" and gets help and gives back to victoms/servivers of domestic violence.
Sincerley,
D.V. serviver

[D.V. serviver]

Better to be safe than to be right.

[D.V. serviver]

Pray for all ABUSE to end.