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Ex-SF Archbishop, Now High-Ranking Cardinal Arrested On DUI Charge

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A former San Francisco archbishop and one of the highest-ranking American officials of the Roman Catholic Church has been arrested in Hawaii on suspicion of drunken driving.

The Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported Monday that Cardinal William Joseph Levada of Menlo Park was stopped last week while driving on the Big Island.

Levada was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving and released from jail after posting $500 bail. He is due in Kona District Court on Sept. 24.

In a statement issued through the Archdiocese of San Francisco, the 79-year-old Levada said he regrets his error in judgment and intends to cooperate with authorities.

Authorities say Levada was stopped after a Kona patrol officer saw him swerve while driving on Queen Kaahumanu Highway.

Levada started serving as archbishop of San Francisco in 1995. In 2006 he was named a cardinal.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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