School trustee suspected of DUI

Deepa Bharath

COSTA MESA -- A Newport-Mesa Unified School District trustee was

arrested late Thursday night on suspicion of driving under the influence

of alcohol, police officials confirmed.

Jim Ferryman, 53, a longtime Costa Mesa resident, was released from

the Costa Mesa police station on his own recognizance after he was

stopped and arrested by police in the 1600 block of Newport Boulevard

about 11:03 p.m. Thursday, officials said.

No further information relating to his blood alcohol level at the time

of the arrest or or his court date was available over the weekend because

the report had not been completed, Costa Mesa police officials said.

Ferryman said Saturday that he is “sorry it happened.”

“People make mistakes,” he said. “Mistakes happen and I guess I made a

mistake.”

Ferryman declined further comment on the nature and circumstances of

his arrest.

Fellow school board trustee Wendy Leece expressed surprise Sunday at

the news of Ferryman’s arrest.

“I don’t believe it is appropriate for me to comment at this time,”

she said. “Everybody is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. We just

have to let these things run their [legal] course.”

It is upsetting when anybody, let alone a public official, drives

under the influence of alcohol, said Reidel Post, director of the Orange

County Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

“Death and injury can happen in anyone’s hands,” she said. “Whoever

the person that commits it, it’s not less of a crime or more of a crime.

It is a crime to drink and drive, period.”

Ferryman is also a board member of the Costa Mesa Sanitation District

and represents the city on the Orange County Sanitation District.

He is one of the school board members who recently asked the community

to revisit the school district’s zero tolerance policy on drugs and

alcohol.

Ferryman has been outspoken on his views about the issue and has

stated his belief that a zero tolerance policy against drugs and alcohol

is not an answer to the larger problem.

He has maintained that it does not deter students from abusing drugs

and alcohol and that it does not help those with the problem.

Ferryman’s other colleagues on the school board did not return calls.

* Deepa Bharath covers public safety and courts. She may be reached at

(949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at o7 deepa.bharath@latimes.comf7 .