Last Updated on December 7, 2016 by CCAR Staff
WEST COVINA >> A judge ordered Councilman Mike Spence to three years’ probation after he pleaded guilty Wednesday morning to driving under the influence of methamphetamine.
Spence, 50, was charged with one count of a misdemeanor DUI in connection with a solo car crash in June that landed him in the hospital with serious injuries. In addition to probation, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Stacy Wiese ordered the councilman to pay a fine of $2,047, enroll in a county-approved alcohol program and attend 26 meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous or Crystal Meth Anonymous.
Spence, who was elected to the council in 2013, has admitted to struggling with alcohol and drug addiction and using both cocaine and methamphetamine. He was fired from his chief of staff post in San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman’s office last month.
On June 12, less than a week after losing the primary election for the 55th State Assembly District seat, Spence was driving in the area of Azusa Avenue and Cypress Street in Covina when he crashed his rental car into a utility pole. Covina police Sgt. Gregg Peterson confirmed Wednesday that toxicology reports revealed Spence was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of his collision.
The reports have been unavailable to the public during the investigation and the court proceedings. Authorities previously only said the drug he was under the influence of was an illegal stimulant or narcotic.
“The lab results showed that he had methamphetamine in his system, which leads us to believe that he ingested methamphetamine,” Peterson said.
Spence declined to comment after exiting the courtroom Wednesday, wearing a sling around his right shoulder as the result of his last surgery resulting from the accident.
He has said he will not resign from his position on the council as a result of the charge, but told his council colleagues and the public in a recent meeting that if it happened again he would resign.
“I have not let my struggles with addiction compromise my ability to fight for taxpayers,” he said during the council’s Nov. 15 meeting.
