Cardinals' Scott Spiezio Wanted By Police

An arrest warrant has been issued by the Irvine Police Department for St. Louis Cardinals utilityman Scott Spiezio on six charges stemming from a crash in late December.

The warrant alleges driving under influence, driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent or more, hit and run, aggravated assault, assault and battery.

The 35-year-old Spiezio, a key member of the Angels team that won the 2002 World Series, was not in the lineup for Wednesday's exhibition game against St. Louis University at Jupiter, Fla. Cardinals spokesman Brian Bartow said the team was not aware of the warrant.

Irvine police responded to a report of a single-car crash at 12:20 a.m. on Dec. 30 in Orange County.

Officers found a 2004 BMW registered to Spiezio had crashed into a curb and fence. The driver was seen running from the crash site, according to Lt. Rick Handfield.

Police located a neighbor of Spiezio who told officers that he was assaulted by Spiezio at their condo complex a short distance from the crash site, Handfield said.

The neighbor said Spiezio had arrived home appearing disheveled and apparently injured. Spiezio vomited in his condo and then allegedly assaulted the neighbor, causing significant injuries, Handfield said.

Police believe Spiezio was driving under the influence at the time of the crash, Handfield said.

Spiezio missed more than a month last season while receiving treatment for substance abuse.

"I was out of control for a while," he said in September. "I learned a lot and I'm ready to start contributing in a good way now."

At the time, Spiezio said he'd been struggling with substance abuse for six or seven months, although he wouldn't disclose the substance, saying "I'll save that for the book."

CBS News affiliate KMOV reporter Doug Vaughn spoke to Spiezio at spring training in Jupiter on Feb. 19 and asked him about his recovery process.

"Last year was a tough year, mentally and physically, for myself and for a lot of guys," Spiezio told him. "I learned a lot. I learned a lot more this off season. And I feel great. I feel in the best shape mentally and physically than I've been in a long time."

Spiezio cited his divorce, a recent injury and the death of Cardinal teammate Josh Hancock as some of the factors in his life that contributed to his struggles with substance abuse.

"My whole life was easy," Spiezio told Vaughn, "and I thought anxiety and depression and all those things were made up stuff and then you have some things pile up on you and then losing Josh last year, that was just icing on the cake, and I think a lot of us were just carrying a lot of weight last year and it broke me down and I had to get down and build that foundation and then rise again."

Spiezio is entering the final season of a two-year, $4.5 million contract.

He batted .272 in 119 games with 13 homers and 52 RBIs in 2006. Last year, he appeared in only 82 games due to injuries, illness and treatment, with four homers, 31 RBIs and a .269 average.

Spiezio, a married father of three who plays in the heavy metal band SandFrog, has cultivated a hard-rocking image through 12 major league seasons.