Rowlett mayor arrested on DWI charge
Posted on 01/31/2003 11:00:06 AM PST by MeekOneGOP
Rowlett mayor arrested on DWI charge
01/31/2003
Rowlett Mayor Shane Johnson was jailed early Friday on a charge of driving while intoxicated in that lakeside community.
He was released about three hours later after his attorney signed a writ promising that the mayor would appear in court, Sgt. Dean Poos said. Sgt. Poos said allowing release on a writ is standard procedure in such cases.
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Mr. Johnson, 31, also posted $270 bond on a Dallas warrant for his arrest for not taking care of a speeding ticket.
Rowlett City Manager Susan Thorpe said she spoke with Mr. Johnson on Friday morning.
"He expressed a lot of regret and takes total responsibility for his actions," Ms. Thorpe said. "He is apologetic about the effects it has had on the town. However, he said he is very proud and praised the police department's handling of the incident."
"I echo those comments," Ms. Thorpe added. "They handled it appropriately and professionally as they always do. We will continue to carry out city business."
The events began about 12:30 a.m.when Rowlett police received a call from a man who identified himself as an off-duty Dallas police officer, Sgt. Poos said. The caller said he thought the driver of a sport utility vehicle was weaving.
Police followed the vehicle a short distance as it headed north on Rowlett Road. They stopped it about two blocks south of Main Street.
"He identified himself as Christopher Shane Johnson," Sgt. Poos said. "The officers recognized him. We have a very good working relationship with the mayor and City Council. Officers administered a field sobriety test and said he failed it."
A records check showed the warrant for the speeding ticket.
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Sgt. Poos said Mr. Johnson agreed to take a breath test, which he also failed. On advice of City Attorney Robert Hager, Sgt. Poos would not say how far Mr. Johnson's blood alcohol level was above the state limit of .08 percent.
He said that a police video camera recorded the traffic stop but that Mr. Hager had also advised police not to release it.
"It is standard procedure not to release information that could be evidence in a criminal proceeding," Mr. Hager said.
He said the breath test results and video would remain off-limits until the case was filed. How soon that happens depends on how quickly police conclude their investigation, he said.
Mr. Johnson became Rowlett's youngest mayor in history when he was first elected in 2000. He has previously worked as a marketing director and disc jockey for Christian radio station KLTY-FM and as a manager at KVIL-FM.
Watch WFAA-TV (Ch. 8) and TXCN (Cable Ch. 38 in Dallas area) for news updates throughout the day and read more in tomorrow's Dallas Morning News .
Another liberal hero down the drain . . .
"He expressed a lot of regret and takes total responsibility for his actions," Ms. Thorpe said. "He is apologetic about the effects it has had on the town.That's not a typical reaction you'd expect from a Liberal 'Rat. He's a conservative...
02/01/2003
ROWLETT - Mayor Shane Johnson was jailed early Friday on a charge of driving while intoxicated in his city on the shores of Lake Ray Hubbard.
He was released about three hours later after his attorney signed a writ promising that the mayor would appear in court, Sgt. Dean Poos said.
Sgt. Poos said allowing release on a writ is standard procedure in such cases.
Mr. Johnson, 31, also posted bail of $270 on a Dallas arrest warrant for not dealing with a speeding ticket.
"This was highly uncharacteristic of me," Mr. Johnson said in a written statement about the incident. "It is a gross failure of judgment, and obviously I am not proud of it. I am very proud of our Police Department and the professional way in which they have handled the situation and for the way they continue to protect everyone in our community."
Susan Thorpe, city manager in the city of 48,000, also praised the police.
"They handled it appropriately and professionally, as they always do," she said. "We will continue to carry out city business."
Sgt. Poos said the incident occurred about 12:30 a.m. when a man identifying himself as an off-duty Dallas police officer called to say he thought a sport utility vehicle was weaving.
Police followed the vehicle north on Rowlett Road and stopped the driver the police station.
"He identified himself as Christopher Shane Johnson," Sgt. Poos said. "The officers recognized him. We have a very good working relationship with the mayor and City Council. Officers administered a field sobriety test and said he failed it."
A records check showed the warrant for the speeding ticket.
Sgt. Poos said Mr. Johnson agreed to take a breath test, which he also failed. On the advice of City Attorney Robert Hager, Sgt. Poos would not report Mr. Johnson's blood alcohol level. The state limit is 0.08 percent.
He said that a police video camera recorded the traffic stop but that Mr. Hager had advised police not to release it.
"It is standard procedure not to release information that could be evidence in a criminal proceeding," Mr. Hager said.
He said the breath test results and video would remain off-limits until the case was filed. How soon that happens depends on how quickly police conclude their investigation, he said.
Mr. Johnson, who has held several local radio marketing and account positions, became Rowlett's youngest mayor when he was elected in 2000. He was elected to another two-year term in May.
E-mail sterry@dallasnews.com
Am looking for a bumper sticker that says: VISUALIZE NO LIBERALS.
I moved here in 1986. I'm stayin' !Our mayor must be GOP. He's taking responsibility and doing/saying all the things a good Republican would say/do. And The DMN is making such a big deal out of this.
Do you know his party affiliation ?
Thanks ! Reminds me that I need to post a link to the New Thread:
lol ! Yep, he was a party animal - at least one night last January he was !
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