Former Breckinridge County Sheriff Todd Pate running for office again years after DUI charges

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A former Kentucky sheriff who was charged with DUI in 2020 is running for sheriff again.

Former Breckinridge County Sheriff Todd Pate is running again for the office in the May 19 primary as a Republican, according to his campaign's Facebook page.

"Being sheriff is much more than a title to me," Pate said a Feb. 18 post. "It is a responsibility and a commitment to this community."

Pate was first elected Breckinridge County sheriff in 2003 but retired in February 2020 after facing assault and DUI charges. Pate was arrested in March 2019 on his second DUI charge and was under court order not to drive or carry a gun.

In July 2020, Pate entered into a pretrial diversion in which he pleaded guilty to DUI and was required to serve 75 days in jail but, with credits, only served 29 additional days in jail. Because of the pretrial diversion program, Pate's charges were dismissed.

Pate was also arrested for DUI in October 2015 in a Waffle House parking lot in Bowling Green. In that case, he was charged with DUI, reckless driving and terroristic threatening. He didn't spend any time in jail, because his 30-day sentence was suspended. He paid an $800 fine.

There are two other Republicans on the ballot for May 19 primary: current Sheriff William "Billy" Richardson and Duke Foster.

Pate told WDRB he is now in nursing school and graduates in December. He said he has made a lot of changes in his life.

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