Attorney General Tom Horne cited for leaving the scene of 2012 accident

PHOENIX - Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne was cited Wednesday for leaving the scene of a hit-and-run accident earlier this year.

Phoenix police Sgt. Trent Crump said Horne is facing a class three misdemeanor charge for leaving the scene of the collision which happened in March 2012.

It may have been a minor fender bender, but it turned into a major headache for Horne.

According to court documents, Horne was driving a friend’s car when he got into the accident, striking a parked SUV. That accident put Horne’s relationship with a woman who works for him under the microscope.

On March 27, 2012 at 12:45 p.m., two FBI agents had Horne under surveillance.

The federal investigators were tailing Horne in the course of their investigation into allegations of campaign finance violations .

The agents watched Horne and his employee, Carmen Chenal, drive to 202 West Roosevelt, where Chenal has an apartment. They then saw Horne back into a vehicle, a white Range Rover, then drive off without leaving a note.

Horne claimed he didn’t know he hit another car.

The Attorney General offered to pay for any damage to the white Range Rover he may have been responsible for.

On Thursday, Horne sent this e-mailed response to an interview request:

"Today I have received from the Phoenix Police Department a misdemeanor citation alleging that I apparently caused minor paint damage to the bumper of an unattended parked vehicle while leaving a parking lot on March 27, 2012. I first learned of my possible involvement in this incident several months ago, and requested from investigating authorities the name of the owner of the vehicle so I could immediately pay for any damage I may have caused. For some unknown reason I received no response. Hopefully, I can now obtain this information or the owner will contact me so I can pay for any damage that I may have unknowingly caused."