Junior Seau arrested, drives SUV off cliff after release from jail

Staff and wire reports

Former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau was arrested early Monday on suspicion of domestic violence, then drove his Cadillac SUV off a cliff in Carlsbad after being released from jail, authorities said.

Emergency crews responding to a 911 call received at 8:42 a.m. found Seau, 41, on the beach below Carlsbad Boulevard and Solamar Avenue, according to Carlsbad police Lt. Paul Mendes.

Seau, who was the only occupant of the sport utility vehicle, was taken to Scripps La Jolla Hospital, Mendes said, but the extent of his injuries was unclear.

Earlier in the morning, Seau was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence and booked into the Vista jail. He was booked around 2 a.m. and released about 3:20 a.m., the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department confirmed.

Details of the arrest, which was first reported by TMZ.com, were not immediately available. The North County Times website was reporting the charge was spousal abuse with injury.

Seau, who opened Seau’s Restaurant in Mission Valley, was a standout player at the University of Southern California. He played for the Chargers from 1990 to 2002; the Miami Dolphins from 2003 to 2005; and the New England Patriots from 2006 to 2009. He is a graduate of Oceanside High School.

City News Services contributed to this report.