Sheriff’s Department: Man drove drunk to Victim’s Impact Panel

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November 17, 2009

By ANDREA VanVALKENBURG The Press Republican Tue Nov 17, 2009, 05:54 PM EST

PLATTSBURGH — Authorities believe a Chazy man showed up to a court-mandated STOP-DWI program under the influence of alcohol.

Officials with the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department, which runs the Victims’ Impact Panel program, arrested Kevin P. Akey Monday night after he allegedly showed up to the panel meeting drunk.

When deputies confronted the 55-year-old, he allegedly admitting driving himself to the meeting, where he was found to have a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 percent.

Akey was required to attend the panel based on his April 2009 misdemeanor conviction for driving while intoxicated.

According to the Clinton County District Attorney’s Office, Akey was first arrested for DWI in Champlain last March and was sentenced to 50 hours of community service, fines and a court surcharge.

Officials believe Akey was ordered to attend only one night of the Victims’ Impact Panel program in order to have his sentence of 90 days in jail conditionally discharged.

After being arraigned Monday night on a felony DWI charge in Plattsburgh City Court, Akey was sent to Clinton County Jail on $1,000 cash bail, which he posted.

He is due back in City Court Friday to face the allegations.

The panel is one of several programs offered through Clinton County STOP-DWI, which is funded by DWI-related fines collected within the county.

The panel includes personal experiences from victims and offenders, designed to raise awareness about the impact drunken driven can have on victims, including their family and friends.

Almost every DWI offender is required to attend the panel.

The program specialist did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Akey’s arrest.

E-mail Andrea VanValkenburg at:

avanvalkenburg@pressrepublican.com