BRECKINRIDGE COUNTY, Ky. (WDRB) – In front of a specially appointed circuit court judge Friday, a plea of not guilty was entered on behalf of Breckinridge County Sheriff Todd Pate, who is facing six felony charges related to a March DUI case.
According to Kentucky State Police, Pate was driving drunk on March 8 when he crashed into another car and then tried to hide beer bottles. Police records show Pate's blood alcohol content was nearly twice the legal limit. The victim in the other car was hurt but recovered.
Pate is facing four counts of wanton endangerment, one count of tampering with physical evidence and one count of operating a motor vehicle under the influence. He has already posted $2,000 cash bond for the district DUI case, which could potentially be merged with the circuit court case.
During Friday's arraignment, the judge set bond for $10,000 unsecured. Pate cannot be in possession of or use any illegal drugs, alcohol or firearms, the judge added, and his driver's license is suspended.
Pate's attorney, Douglas Vowels, objected in regards to the firearm restriction.
"Todd Pate is Sheriff Pate here in this county," Vowels said. "And in those duties, constitutional duties, he may be required to have a firearm."
The judge said the restriction stands for now, because it mirrors the bond restrictions already in place for the district court case. The judge emphasized that, if Pate has been adhering to that bond, then he has been acting as sheriff since March 10 without a gun and without a driver's license.
This is Pate's second DUI case. In 2015, was arrested and charged with DUI, reckless driving and terroristic threatening in Bowling Green. He did not spend any time in jail for that case, because the 30-day sentence was suspended.
Vowels declined to comment after the arraignment.
The specially appointed prosecutor for the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office said he is working with the victims from the March 8 incident for a possible plea resolution. Because it is early on in the investigation, however, the prosecutor said he could not comment further.
Pate went to an alcohol treatment facility in Tennessee on March 10 and remained there for 34 days. When he returned to Breckinridge County, he attended daily Alcoholic Anonymous meetings. During the arraignment, Pate told the judge he tries to attend those meetings around three times per week.
As a condition of his bond, the judge ordered Pate must attend AA meetings at least twice a week and have weekly contact with his sponsor. Pate is also subject to random drugs tests.
There is an online petition, currently with more than 1,700 signatures, urging Pate to resign.
The Commonwealth's Attorney's Office has until July 10 to file its discovery. The next pretrial conference will be Aug. 2.
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