Monday, Nov. 16, 2009

Ga. mayor-elect charged with DUI in S.C.

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The mayor-elect of a Georgia town has been arrested for drunken driving in South Carolina.

Multiple media outlets reported Monday that Jennifer Sudderth was arrested in Greenville early Saturday. The 36-year-old was elected mayor of Hartwell, Ga., earlier this month and is expected to take office in January.

Hartwell is approximately 62 miles southwest of Greenville.

A police report says Sudderth was stopped because her car swerved over the white lines. She told the arresting officer she was trying to get home after leaving a friend's house but was lost and needed gas. The report says she failed a field sobriety test.

Sudderth told WLHR-FM the incident is a misunderstanding that will be cleared up this week. The Hart County middle school teacher declined to explain, but said she'd hired an attorney.