CHARLOTTE — Mecklenburg County Commissioner Yvette Townsend-Ingram pleaded guilty to driving while impaired. Records show the guilty plea was on Oct. 25. The guilty plea hasn’t been previously reported.
[ Meck County commissioner-elect arrested for DWI, records show ]
Townsend-Ingram was arrested on May 1 in Kevin Loftin Riverfront Park. She was not an elected official at the time. According to court documents for the incident, police detected a “strong odor of alcoholic beverage” and said she had “glassy, bloodshot eyes.” They say she was unsteady on her feet, had “slurred speech,” and was “very argumentative.” She blew a 0.20 on the breathalyzer. The legal limit is .08.
Following the guilty plea, court documents show she was given 18 months of unsupervised probation. She was also ordered to pay $413 in fines and court costs. She was ordered to complete 24 hours of community service within 60 days. As a condition of her guilty plea, Townsend-Ingram had to surrender her driver’s license “and not operate a motor vehicle until the defendant’s driving privilege is restored by (the DMV), except as may be permitted in a limited privilege.”
The DMV declined to comment on the length and any conditions of the surrender.
“I have a restricted license,” Townsend-Ingram told Eyewitness News Reporter Joe Bruno. “I will continue to attend community events and support my community. I’ll make no further comments on this matter but will continue to demonstrate how to move forward in the face of adversity.”
Court records show Townsend-Ingram “has taken responsibility for her actions.” The documents say she voluntarily submitted herself to a mental health facility for assessment and has voluntarily participated in any treatment recommended by the facility.
As a condition of probation, Townsend-Ingram is not allowed to use, possess, or consume any alcohol or illegal drugs.
Townsend-Ingram was sworn into office in early December.