BRADLEY COUNTY, Tenn. — Update (Oct. 10): Jefferson County Commissioner Rob Blevins said Jefferson County Mayor Mark Potts was driving a county vehicle before his DUI arrest in Bradley County.
On Sept. 27, deputies found a county vehicle with its door open and nobody inside on the shoulder of I-75 South. Potts was found sitting upright on the right side of the road in a ditch. He was arrested for DUI after failing a sobriety test, according to the Bradley County Sheriff's Office.
Jefferson County held a county commission meeting on Oct. 10 for the first time since the mayor's arrest. The mayor was not at the meeting.
Vice Chair Marc Reed said he spoke with lawyers from the state on how county leaders can proceed after Potts' DUI arrest. He said he wants to see how the legal case plays out.
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The mayor of Jefferson County, Mark Lee Potts, was arrested on Sept. 27 in Bradley County for driving under the influence. According to the Bradley County Sheriff's Office, deputies first received reports about a man lying face-down on the right shoulder of I-75 South and went to look for him.
On Friday, the Bradley County Circuit Court Clerk's office said Potts had posted his $2,000 bond.
According to an arrest report, deputies found a car with its door open and nobody inside. They then found Potts sitting upright on the right side of the road in a ditch, with beer cans around him, according to BCSO.
The arrest report said Potts told deputies he pulled over because he wanted to be safe, and said he had sat upright after lying face-down. Deputies reported smelling "a strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath" and Potts said he stopped in Knoxville and bought beer. He said that he had been drinking and driving from Knoxville, according to the report.
Deputies said when Potts got up, they noticed he had urinated on himself and his pants fell down while trying to walk. They also said he could not keep his balance. The report said he also urinated in the patrol vehicle as he was taken to the Bradley County Jail.
BCSO said he failed sobriety tests and was taken into custody for driving under the influence. Deputies found multiple beer cans on the floor near and inside the car — a total of eight empty cans.
He was also charged with violating an open container law and was given a $2,000 bond.
T. Scott Jones, an attorney, explained the charges Potts is facing. Right now he's required to spend a minimum of 48 hours in jail but could face up to nearly 12 months if convicted. His driver's license could also be suspended.
"This was an unfortunate set of circumstances, whether he eventually ends up convicted or not, and they're gonna want to hear him be accountable for his actions. Perhaps counseling may be in order, and perhaps it may just be a time for him to so to say, 'Mea culpa' and accept responsibility," said Jones.
WBIR reached out to Jefferson County Commissioners for a comment and has not yet heard back. Potts is not the first Tennessee public official to face a DUI charge while in office.
Last June, Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett was arrested for DUI in Coffee County.
According to records, Hargett was driving home from the Bonnaroo music festival when officers observed him swerving on the road. Hargett entered into a plea deal with the state for his charges where he ultimately faced a $350 fine, was required to attend a DUI school, and had his license restricted for a year.