Mayor Samson Steinman took medical leave effective Monday after being involved in a car crash on Saturday for the second time in barely six months.

In an undated statement provided by City Administrator Cherron Rountree on Wednesday morning, Steinman began medical leave on March 20 (which happens to be his birthday) “to address a series of personal issues that began during childhood. He will be in a therapeutic setting which will allow him to focus on healing.”

The statement came in response to an inquiry made Tuesday morning. Sources confirmed Steinman was involved in a car accident on Kline Place sometime on Saturday in a city vehicle.

The statement provided by Rountree did not offer any details on Saturday’s crash, only saying that the decision was “brought on, in part, by his recent auto accident that fortunately did not cause any personal injury. The mayor volunteered and passed a sobriety test…”

Other than providing the statement on Wednesday morning, Rountree said she had no additional information at this time.

The mayor’s medical leave comes less than two weeks after Steinman delivered his fourth State of the City address and barely six months after he struck a parked car on Central Avenue. In late August, Steinman was involved in an early-morning car crash on Central Avenue near Pierpont Street that involved a city vehicle.

A Democrat, Steinman was City Council president before he was appointed mayor in 2013 after the resignation of Rick Proctor. He won election to a four-year term in 2014, and will be up for re-election next year.

The full, 117-word statement is as follows:

“Mayor Samson Steinman has informed the city that he will be on medical leave, beginning March 20th, to address a series of personal issues that began during childhood. He will be in a therapeutic setting which will allow him to focus on healing.

“The city’s operations will be uninterrupted and the residents will continue to receive the same high quality services that are a hallmark of the administration.

“The mayor’s decision was brought on, in part, by his recent auto accident that fortunately did not cause any personal injury. The mayor volunteered and passed a sobriety test, yet the event reinforced the mayor’s commitment to focus on his health.

“The mayor asked for respect of his privacy.”