ENCINITAS — The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office has filed criminal charges against first-term Councilmember Luke Shaffer, including one felony count of assault, one misdemeanor count of hit-and-run driving, and one misdemeanor count of willful omission to perform the duty of a public officer.
The Aug. 12 complaint, first reported by Voice of San Diego, alleges that on July 5, Shaffer committed assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury and was involved in hit-and-run driving against another vehicle.
The filing also states that Shaffer “did willfully omit to perform a duty enjoined by law upon any public officer or person holding any public trust or employment, to wit: A councilmember has a duty not to use their position to willfully make unlawful threats of retaliatory action against members of the public, including threats to deny or obstruct lawful permits or other lawful entitlements.”
Shaffer could face a total of five and a half years in prison if convicted, per the complaint.
The filing of criminal charges or a conviction against an elected official does not mean the official is required to be removed from office.
Marco Gonzalez, the attorney for the victim in the case, said it’s in Shaffer’s best interest to step down.
“This behavior from an elected official is truly beyond unacceptable. There really is no option but for him to step down and spare the community and his family from what is coming,” Gonzalez said.
Shaffer will be arraigned in San Diego County Superior Court on Sept. 9.
Gonzalez declined to provide further details on the specifics of the case at this time, stating that more information would come to light in court. However, he did clarify that the victim was not in the car at the time of the hit-and-run.
Shaffer was elected to the Encinitas City Council District 1 seat in November 2024. He is a Marine Corps veteran and also serves as a high school lacrosse coach.
The Coast News has contacted Shaffer for comment and will update this story with his response. A spokesperson for the city of Encinitas declined to comment on the case.
Encinitas Mayor Bruce Ehlers told The Coast News he learned about the charges against Shaffer in media reports on Thursday, and has reached out to him but has not spoken with him.
“It’s not my place to comment on that, other than, I look for the truth and the facts,” Ehlers said regarding the charges.
Reporter Cameron Adams contributed to this story.
This story was updated to include a comment from Bruce Ehlers.
