A city attorney from Huntington West Virginia, Scott McClure, was arrested the day before Thanksgiving for a first-offense DUI.

McClure was in a single-vehicle accident around 11:30 PM in the city of Huntington where he serves. When police responded to the accident, they noted the driver smelled of alcohol and exhibited signs of impairment. McClure refused all field sobriety tests and a breath test.

McClure did request a blood sample, so he was taken to a local hospital to have one performed. The results will not come back for a short period of time. Regardless of the lack of hard evidence, however, McClure was booked and arraigned the next morning after spending the night detained then released on bond.

The Mayor of the city, Kim Wolfe, noted he is aware of the incident and will ensure a fair action is taken moving forward. McClure was an assistant city attorney for 6 years before accepting the promotion to city attorney in 2005. No action will be taken until the legal process moves forward.

City attorneys are often required to participate in the trying of suspected DUI drivers. As such, it can be compromising to have a city attorney in the process of a DUI trail himself or herself. it is not uncommon for a mayor to issue a temporary suspension or other desk duty while the case is resolved.

In most cases, a public official will only be suspended if an independent, internal review determines the action to be against department policy. A first-offense, no harm DUI conviction, if this case leads to that, is typically not sufficient for any large disciplinary action.