C.J.: TV traffic reporter jailed on suspicion of drunken driving

Twin Cities traffic broadcaster Juli Jay was arrested in Golden Valley on suspicion of drunken driving early Thursday -- that's at least two now for her in recent years -- and remains jailed at this hour, according to the Hennepin County sheriff's roster.

An employee of Westwood One's Metro Traffic, also known as MetroNetworks, Jay's broadcasting assignments include working as the traffic reporter on FOX 9. That's also where her husband of a year and a half Brad Swagger is a photojournalist.

Swagger was not working today and could not be reached for comment. Phone calls to Jay went unanswered, presumably because she's in the slammer, where she was booked at 3:13 a.m.

The 40-year-old Jay has not been on the air since Nov. 5. She said she severely injured her right leg when she slipped while sitting on a bicycle rack outside a restaurant.

"I can't give you any information today, but I should be able to tomorrow," said Frank Rondoni, Golden Valley's city attorney. "We're just not going to be able to get the complaint done today. The complaint will contain sufficient facts to establish probable cause."

A call to the human resources department at the NYC-based corporate HQ for Metro Traffic has so far yield no information on the status of Jay's employment.

A week ago Thursday, Jay was interviewed in a video I shot at the Swagger-Jay home in Minneapolis about reportedly shattering the bones in her right leg, as well as her heel. Wearing a removable cast, Jay appears to be just barely getting around on crutches in my video.

According to Hennepin County court records, Jay pleaded guilty to fourth-degree DWI and paid a $375 fine for an Aug. 21, 2005, arrest. A 90-day sentence to the workhouse was stayed for two years.

Although Jay told me on video that she expects to return to FOX 9 in January, I would doubt that now. FOX 9 is reluctant to tolerate a second DWI by actual employees, so it's highly unlikely this would be excused in an independent contractor.

Her jailhouse mug shot -- posted on myfoxtwincities.com -- captures a glamorous bad girl side of Jay's visage that was new to me.

C.J. is at 612.332.TIPS or cj@startribune.com. E-mailers, please state a subject -- "Hello" doesn't count. Attachments are not opened, so don't even try. More of her attitude can be seen on FOX 9 Thursday mornings.