A former City Council candidate who recently said he planned to run again next year might have some explaining to do to voters. It was revealed last week in the local media that Jan Swift was arrested last month for evading an officer. But this wasn’t the first time he has been arrested-a background check of Swift by The Malibu Times reveals he has an extensive history of run-ins with the law.
According to the Los Angeles County Superior Court’s Web site, Swift has a lengthy police record dating back to 1986, although not all the items listed led to criminal convictions. The first significant issue came up in 1988, when Swift was found guilty of public intoxication of drugs and alcohol, and for driving under the influence of those substances. He was cited for driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol again in 1992, but, according to the Superior Court’s Web site, the case against him was either dismissed or not prosecuted. However, he was convicted of reckless driving. Later that year, Swift was found guilty of driving with a suspended license.
In 2001, Swift was convicted of “injuring a telephone/power line.” Then in 2005, he was found guilty of narcotics possession.
Swift did not return numerous calls for comment.
The former council candidate’s recent arrest came last month after a slow-speed vehicle chase with a Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s deputy. According to a deputy’s report, he followed Swift’s car, which was traveling westbound on Pacific Coast Highway on Feb. 13 just before 8:30 p.m., because he believed Swift was wanted on a no-bail narcotics warrant. The pursuit continued, without the deputy turning on his siren, onto Las Flores Canyon Road. According to the report, the deputy then turned on the siren. Swift did not immediately stop, according to the report. This continued for approximately 30 seconds, the deputy reported, and then Swift finally stopped.
Swift then exited his vehicle, and was arrested. When the deputy asked Swift why he had not stopped originally, Swift told him, according to the report, “I was scared because I had a warrant.”
The next day, Swift pled no contest in a Van Nuys courtroom to a misdemeanor in evading an officer. He was sentenced to two years probation and 30 days in jail, according to a spokesperson from the Los Angels County District Attorney’s Office. A local paper reported last week that Swift would not have to serve his 30-day sentence if he did not violate the conditions of his probation. The district attorney’s spokesperson could not confirm that.
Swift has another court hearing on Monday in the Airport Courthouse. The district attorney’s spokesperson said she could not say what that hearing involved.
Swift was a candidate only briefly in 2006. When he submitted his name to the city to run for council, The Malibu Times could not find any politically active locals who knew he was. Swift said he was born in Santa Monica and grew up in Malibu. He said he was running for council because he wanted to do many things for the community, including creating places for the youth and seniors.
“The City Council seems to be an old fraternity,” Swift said in 2006. “They are set in their own way of doing things. I can bring some excitement and fresh blood to the government.”
But just as quickly as he entered the race, he had to withdraw because, the city said, only 17 of the signatures on his nomination paper came from registered Malibu voters. The requirement is 20.
Swift said at the time that he might re-enter the race as a write-in candidate. He never did. He announced his intention to run in 2008 earlier this year.