The Utah Daily Herald by Jeremy Duda - June 10, 2008
A Spanish Fork police officer has resigned after he and his wife were arrested on DUI charges. Officer Tony Lunceford and Janalee Lunceford were arrested early Sunday morning and booked into the Utah County Jail on charges of DUI, open container in a vehicle and having window tinting that was too dark. Lunceford was placed on paid administrative leave after the incident, and later submitted his resignation, which will be effective today, according to assistant city manager Seth Perrins. Lunceford had worked for the Spanish Fork Police Department since July 2004, Perrins said. Lt. Al Christianson of the Utah Highway Patrol said Janalee Lunceford was driving the couple's Ford pickup truck around 1:30 a.m. Sunday when she veered off the right side of the road and hit a tree and a power box at 3420 E. Riverbottom Road. After the accident, Tony Lunceford took the wheel, Christianson said.
Spanish Fork police responded to a report of an accident and located the vehicle near 1300 East and 200 South. Christianson said the officers called UHP when they realized that the driver was a member of their department. "They contacted the highway patrol to ... take over to avoid a conflict of interest," Christianson said. Christianson said field sobriety and breath tests indicated alcohol use for both Luncefords. Both refused chemical tests for alcohol, Christianson said, but consented to blood tests after troopers obtained a warrant. He said UHP had not received the blood test results as of Tuesday. State law requires that anyone who refuses a sobriety test have their license taken for up to 18 months for a first offense. Christianson said he did not know whether Tony and Janalee Lunceford would lose their licenses. "That's up to the driver's license division," he said. Tony and Janalee Lunceford could not be reached for comment. It was not clear whether they had an attorney in the case. Jeremy Duda can be reached at 344-2561 or jduda@heraldextra.com.
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