San Diego

Drunk driving charges were filed this week by the city attorney’s office against Jeanette Roache, wife and campaign manager of sheriff’s candidate Jim Roache.

Chief Deputy City Atty. Sue Heath said Jeanette Roache was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with a blood-alcohol level above 0.08%, the legal limit.

She is scheduled for arraignment in traffic court Oct. 22. Roache, 42, was arrested Sept. 21 on suspicion of drunk driving after police found her car stopped at Santa Arminta Avenue and Camino Ruiz, about five miles from the Roaches’ Scripps Ranch home.

Police said a motorist reported seeing Roache’s car parked at the intersection 15 minutes earlier.

Although the city attorney’s office and police have the results of Roache’s urine test, they would not make the results public Friday.

Jeanette and Jim Roache said they did not know the results.

“This is a personal issue,” Jeanette Roache said Friday. “This has nothing to do with Jim’s ability as the next sheriff. For our opponent to say it isn’t an issue and then spread it all over hell’s half-acre, that’s low.”

Roache, a sheriff’s captain, is running against Jack Drown, an assistant sheriff, in next month’s election. In the primary, Roache collected 32% of the vote to Drown’s 28%.

Drown said he had no comment about the city attorney’s charges.

Thomas J. Warwick Jr., Jeanette Roache’s attorney, said he did not have the test results and didn’t expect them for several weeks after the arraignment.