St. Joseph County Michigan Sheriff Mark Lillywhite was in court Monday where he pleaded guilty to drunk driving charges.
The Michigan lawman will not serve any time in jail, though he was placed on probation for a year, according to Channel 8 News in Kalamazoo. Monday’s hearing comes after Lillywhite was arrested in February when he rear-ended another car on US-131 south of Schoolcroft, Michigan.
Witnesses to the crash told police that Lillywhite appeared to be staggering and slurring his speech and had bloodshot eyes. Court filings say the sheriff’s BAC was three times the legal limit.
Lillywhite was charged with drunk driving and possession of a firearm while intoxicated. He pleaded guilty to both counts on Monday and his lawyer told the judge that Lillywhite has been in counseling since the crash.
As a condition of his probation, Lillywhite cannot drink alcohol or carry a gun, though he will not lose his law enforcement certification. Lillywhite was elected in 2021 and his term runs through 2025, but it is unclear whether he will remain as sheriff.
