After being arrested for driving under the influence and causing an accident, former Alexandria police chief David P. Baker pleaded guilty and is expected to serve a five-day sentence in the Arlington County jail. The popular chief was arrested July 25 after his city-issued Ford Explorer collided with another vehicle in Arlington County and he failed a series of sobriety tests.
The Washington Post reports that Baker’s blood-alcohol level was 0.19, more than twice the legal limit of .08. Baker ended his 40-year career with the Alexandria Police Department three days after the incident with a remorseful letter.
Baker’s attorney, James Clark, said: “He is supposed to be a role model, an example. He believes he made a mistake and he should pay the appropriate price for it…He used bad judgment; he drank too much, and he got behind the wheel of a car.”
Arlington General District Court Chief Judge Dorothy H. Clarke sentenced Baker to 180 days in jail and ordered him to pay a fine of $1,500. Baker will also lose his driver’s license for the next year. Clarke suspended 175 days of the sentence, which means that Baker will have to serve the mandatory five-day minimum sentence for driving with such a high blood-alcohol level. Clarke also suspended all but $300 of the fine and ordered Baker to attend the county’s Alcohol Safety Action Program for DUI offenders.
In a written statement, Baker apologized to the woman whose car he hit, and noted that he let down the community he loved and served for so many years. “As much as it pained me, resigning from my post as Chief was the appropriate decision given my actions,” he wrote. “I offer no excuses for my bad decisions and behavior because there are none. And I am, and will be, forever haunted by the personal embarrassment and humiliation I caused to those who have supported, mentored and guided me through my personal life and long and rewarding public safety career.”
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