3:02 PM (BCN): The future Roman Catholic archbishop of San Francisco was arrested in San Diego over the weekend on suspicion of drunken driving, San Diego authorities said today.
The Rev. Salvatore Cordileone, who is currently bishop of Oakland, was arrested at 12:26 a.m. Saturday on suspicion of misdemeanor driving under the influence, San Diego police spokesman Detective Gary Hassen said.
He is due to appear in San Diego County Superior Court on that charge on Oct. 9, sheriff’s department spokeswoman Melissa Aquino said.
Cordileone, 56, was appointed archbishop of San Francisco by Pope Benedict XVI in July and is slated to be installed in office in a ceremony at St. Mary’s Cathedral in the city on Oct. 4.
Hassen said Cordileone was arrested at a DUI checkpoint in the 5100 block of College Avenue near San Diego State University.
He said that as Cordileone went through the checkpoint, officers there determined that he “needed to be evaluated further.” After a preliminary evaluation, Cordileone was taken to a secondary area, given a field sobriety test and then arrested, the spokesman said.
Hassen said he had no details about the test.
Aquino said Cordileone was booked into county jail at 2:33 a.m.
Saturday, then released on $2,500 bail at 11:59 a.m. and given the Oct. 9 court date.
In San Diego, misdemeanor DUI offenses are prosecuted by the city attorney’s office.
City attorney spokeswoman Gina Coburn said that as of mid-afternoon today, Cordileone’s records were not yet in that office’s system.
A spokeswoman for the archdiocese said, “We have no comment,” and referred questions to Diocese of Oakland spokesman Mike Brown, who was not immediately available.
Cordileone grew up in San Diego and graduated from the University of San Diego in 1978, and was ordained a priest in San Diego in 1982, according to a biography provided by the archdiocese. After spending time in Rome, Costa Mesa and Calexico, he served as auxiliary bishop of San Diego from 2002 until he was appointed bishop of Oakland in 2009.
The Archdiocese of San Francisco encompasses San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin counties. The archbishop also supervises the dioceses of Oakland, San Jose, Santa Rosa, Stockton, Sacramento, Las Vegas, Reno, Salt Lake City and Honolulu.
11:29 AM: According to reports from San Diego news media, San Francisco’s Archbishop-designate Salvatore Cordileone was arrested early Saturday morning on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
According to 10News.com, the 56 year old Cordileone, reportedly a native of San Diego, was pulled over Saturday at 12:26 AM in the 5100 block of College Avenue in San Diego.
Cordileone, a leading opponent of same-sex marriage, abortion, and birth control, according to KCBS, was appointed as Archbishop of San Francisco in July.
“I don’t approach these issues from a political standpoint. It’s not a political position that determines my thinking. It’s the gospel of Jesus Christ and of what most affirms true of human dignity and justice,” he told KCBS is an interview published today.
According to News10, Cordileone was booked into San Diego’s county jail under, San Diego’s UT reports “a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence and later posted bail.”
Cordlieone, who is presently serving as the bishop of Oakland, is expected to be “installed” as Archbishop on October 4, the feast day for St. Francis of Assisi.
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