The mayor of Oakland, California was involved in a minor car accident on Sunday and reports have surfaced that she was allegedly “distracted” while behind the wheel.
According to NBC Bay Area, Mayor Jean Quan’s city-owned Lexus SUV was hit in the rear by another motorist, however, witnesses allege that Quan was at fault.
One witness, Margaret Randall, told CBS SF that she allegedly saw the mayor run a light as she appeared to be looking down.
“I was standing right there when it happened, and I really clearly seen her run the red light,” Randall said. "She was completely distracted. She was looking down. She was not looking at the road, so I don’t even think she noticed that the light had turned red."
Many outlets have reported that Quan was allegedly on the phone while driving, a claim her office has denied. It is illegal to use a handheld cell phone or text while driving in California.
The 64-year-old was not hurt in the accident and released the following statement:
“I was driving between two community events in West Oakland when another vehicle struck my left rear tire. I immediately pulled over and checked to make sure no one was hurt. Police are investigating what led to the collision, and I’m going to let them do their job and report out the details.”