Senator charged with DUI

Charleston Daily Mail ^ | Deanna Wrenn

[Xthe17th]

Senator charged with DUI

Deanna Wrenn
Daily Mail Capitol reporter

Friday August 22, 2003; 11:15 AM

A state senator was arrested for driving under the influence and had a blood-alcohol content more than twice the legal limit, police said.

Sen. Herb Snyder, D-Jefferson [West Virginia], was picked up by a sheriff's deputy Thursday after leaving the Jefferson County Fair. Two breath tests revealed Snyder's blood alcohol content to be 0.260 and 0.267. The legal limit is 0.10 in West Virginia.

Snyder, who will turn 50 on Sept. 7, was arraigned today in a video arraignment after spending the night in the Eastern Regional Jail. He was released after paying 10 percent of his $3,000 bond.

Jefferson County Sheriff Ed Boober said his deputies routinely patrol the fairgrounds along Leetown Pike to break up fights and prevent drinking.

Beer is not sold at the fair, and drinking is not allowed on the premises.

"This is a family atmosphere," Boober said. "We want people to feel safe and not be bothered by people under the influence."

Boober said there were some reports Snyder repeatedly went out to his black Lincoln Continental during his visit to the fair.

Fair officials noticed Snyder acting strangely, so they contacted Deputy W.M. Parker, who was patrolling the fair.

"They were concerned by his actions on the fair property," Boober said.

Parker looked for Snyder but couldn't find him on the fairgrounds. After getting in his patrol car, Parker found Snyder driving in the opposite direction along Leetown Pike. Parker turned his car around and pulled Snyder over near the fairgrounds entrance.

In addition to field sobriety tests, Parker administered a preliminary breath alcohol test that showed Snyder's blood alcohol content to be .260. He was arrested and taken to the sheriff's office, where he was given another blood alcohol test that read .267.

Snyder was taken to the Eastern Regional Jail in Martinsburg for the night. This morning around 8:30 a.m., Snyder was arraigned.

Boober said deputies were handling the arrest like any other DUI.

"It's obviously a very sensitive matter," he said. "He is a high-profile person. We'll protect the rights of Mr. Snyder as we would anyone else."

Snyder, who could not be reached for comment today, was elected to the Senate in 1996 and 2000. He is up for re-election next year and has already filed pre-candidacy papers with the Secretary of State's office.

Snyder has a wife, Stephanie, and six children. He served as a Jefferson County commissioner from 1991 to 1996.

Fellow Sen. Vic Sprouse, R-Kanawha, said he feels bad for Snyder.

"No one ever wants to see anything like that happen to anyone," Sprouse said. "I just feel bad for him and his family.

"There's obviously some things he's going to have to work through there."

Writer Deanna Wrenn can be reached at 348-1796.

[Xthe17th]

This is the same bone-headed Herbie who proposed putting a NASCAR track in my back yard - with only one way in or out from already heavily trafficked I-81 - even though NASCAR said they weren't interested in any more tracks. He's a dufus. HA HA !!

[HiTech RedNeck]

jes' a good ole boy redneck

[Xthe17th]

MOUNTAIN STATE PINGS )))))))

At least he didn't kill anyone. Just wait for the liberal media to take hold of this. They'll have Bill Janklow in the car as well.

[xzins]

.26 blood alcohol....I'm surprised he could walk to his car.

If the Senator were a leader in the Army, he would lose his career and be forced out of service.

[Cold Heat]

I blew a .23 once. Could not even stand up for long, much less drive.

[The Old Hoosier]

Yeah, really--0.26 looks like a GPA, not a BAC.

[BushCountry]

He is up for re-election next year and has already filed pre-candidacy papers.

Are the repubs going to put up a good fight? If so, who?

[The Old Hoosier]

I bet he will lose his job.

[MHGinTN]

There is the 'all-is-forgiven' D after his state senate seat. Fugeddaboutit

[The Old Hoosier]

Fellow Sen. Vic Sprouse, R-Kanawha, said he feels bad for Snyder. "No one ever wants to see anything like that happen to anyone," Sprouse said. "I just feel bad for him and his family.

I'd feel worse for the people he probably almost killed. Thank goodness he was pulled over.

[jsbankston]

Wow, he is the second politician to have driving problems in the last week. At least this time no one died as result of their driving as occurred with the South Dakota Congressman last week.

[CSM]

"They were concerned by his actions on the fair property," Boober said.

Parker looked for Snyder but couldn't find him on the fairgrounds. After getting in his patrol car, Parker found Snyder driving in the opposite direction along Leetown Pike. Parker turned his car around and pulled Snyder over near the fairgrounds entrance."

What was the probable cause to pull him over? The article didn't say anything about him driving bad.....

Not promoting DUI, just curious.

[I still care]

But that from what I understand that congressman wasn't drunk. Accurate info concerning that accident still needs to come out.

[samanella]

"he feels bad"

Don't they teach grammar in school in WV (or anywhere, for that matter)? Bad here is an adverb and it should read "he feels badLY." Jeez.

Wasn't this the same reporter that Reuters misquoted and she stood up to them??

[CollegeRepublican]

It sounds like the State Senator was visually drunk at the fair and when the cops could not find him at the fair they assumed that he drove off. I guess that counts as probable cause.

[1Old Pro]

o.26 BAC ??? How could his "handlers" allow this.

[76834]

If it turns out that the Senator is guilty they ought to hang him.....
But can you imgaine growing up with the name "BOOBER"...

[MHGinTN]

With liberals, spelling is optional ... a near miss in math or grammar/syntax or history is acceptable to the 'there is no such thing as excellence' liberal mind.

[CSM]

They really should have reported more about the way he was acting. "Acting strangely" doesn't explain enough. I can act strangely and be completely sober. I know some people that can be very drunk, but I can't tell.

[MEGoody]

I still hear lefties whine about Bush's DUI from over 25 years ago. But you won't hear one of 'em saying a thing about this.