Tacoma City Councilman Ryan Mello Avoids DUI Charge
Tacoma City Councilman Ryan Mello has avoided a DUI charge by entering a plea deal that was approved February 22, 2013. Mello’s DUI charge will not appear on his criminal record if he follows the conditions of his plea deal requiring him to attend a DUI Victim Panel, seek treatment for chemical dependency and pay $900 in fees. In a statement made to the News Tribune, Mello said that he made a mistake that night and was sorry, adding that he has taken full responsibility and will coorperate with the prosecutor.
Claire Bradley, the Deputy Prosecutor said that the plea deal was fairly standard for a first time offender was close to the legal limit. The Tacoma City Councilman was arrested on January 19, 2012 after the officer who pulled him over detected an odor of alcohol on his breath. Mello, who was driving his jeep with several passengers was asked to step out of his vehicle and perform a series of field sobriety tests. According arresting officer Guy Gill, Mello did not identify himself as a Tacoma City Councilman and was extremely cooperative throughout the entire ordeal. Police also noted that Mello’s blood alcohol content (BAC) did exceed the legal limit of .08%.
If you have been arrested for driving drunk, contact an experienced and skilled Washington DUI attorney for legal assistance.
