Surf City councilman settles car accident mishap

Tariq Malik

HUNTINGTON BEACH -- City Councilman Peter Green pleaded guilty last

week to a misdemeanor count of disturbing the peace, down from the

original charge of hit-and-run, and will pay $1,400 in fines for causing

a car accident last summer.

Green, 74, who has been active in city politics since 1984, stood

before Orange County Superior Court Judge Andrew Banks at the West

Justice Center in Westminster Nov. 30, where he admitted to causing the

accident.

“I’m glad this is all over and taken care of,” Green said.

Last May, the councilman was parking a black Nissan in a Westminster

parking lot in the 6000 block of Maple Street when he struck a Toyota

Camry owned by Jan Marshall of Westminster, said Tori Richards,

spokeswoman for the county district attorney’s office.

“When Marshall asked Green for his insurance and car information, he

refused,” she added. “And when he later left the parking lot, it’s just

the same as if he drove off from the scene of an accident.”

County officials said Marshall followed Green to another location and

called the authorities. At that time, the councilman conceded his

information to Westminster police.

Robert Chatterton, Green’s attorney, disagrees with Richards’ account.

He said the councilman believed he was required to give his personal

information to the police and offered to wait as Marshall called them. He

said Green stayed at the scene for 30 minutes and left after Marshall

did.

“[Marshall] called the police several hours after the accident,”

Chatterton said.

He added that once the police investigator contacted Green, the

councilman was cooperative.

Banks changed the hit-and-run charge to a disturbance of the peace in

order to prevent the case to going to trial for a second time, county

officials said.

A jury trial early last week was close to being declared a mistrial

due to juror misconduct after one jury member was seen speaking with a

Westminster police officer, officials added. Banks suggested that Green

plead down to avoid this from happening.

Green must pay about $400 to Marshall for the damage caused to her

car, as well as a $1,000 fine, the maximum allowed by state law. No one

was injured in the accident.