Berryville Mayor charged with DWI

Berryville Mayor charged with DWI, drug possession for second time


BERRYVILLE -- Berryville Mayor Tim McKinney was booked into the Washington County Detention Center early Thursday morning for alleged DWI, careless driving, possession of a controlled substance (marijuana), and possession of drug paraphernalia.

This was his second drug and alcohol-related arrest in less than a year.

According to reports, McKinney was returning home from Washington, D.C., Wednesday evening after attending a mayor's conference in the nation's capital on behalf of the City of Berryville.

His return flight was booked on United Airlines flight 5991, scheduled to arrive at Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport at 7:46 p.m. Wednesday.

According to a sheriff's office report, a traffic stop was initiated on McKinney's vehicle less than an hour later, at 8:21 p.m., as he was traveling south on I-540.

The report, filed by Cpl. Brad Cavender, states that he got behind a black truck, which was reportedly weaving and crossing the fog line, and initiated a traffic stop on the truck.

Cavender said he could "smell a strong odor of intoxicants" coming from the truck, and claimed McKinney was unstable on his feet during several tests.

Cavender said he placed McKinney under arrest for DWI and transported him to the Washington County Detention Center for a breathalyzer test. During a subsequent inventory of the truck, Cavender said an officer found a "small black film canister with marijuana in it."

Jail records show McKinney was officially booked into the detention center at 2:12 a.m. Thursday, March 19.

McKinney was also arrested 12 months ago, on March 24, 2008, for speeding, DWI and marijuana possession while on his way home from Eureka Springs.

At the time, McKinney claimed the small amount of marijuana was not his, and he apologized for his behavior, asking that he be allowed to finish out his current term of mayor after serving the city for 18 years.

He did retire from his Entergy job, which required a CDL license, saying he planned to retire soon and didn't want to battle to keep his CDL license.

"I made a mistake and will atone for it," he said at the time. "I made some bad decisions. I feel bad for the embarrassment I've cause the city or others."

Four months later, during a plea arrangement that was reportedly "average" in its fines, fees and suspended jail sentence, District Court Judge Marianne McBeth noted that all suspended fines and jail time were subject to no similar arrests occurring within 12 months.

McKinney was released from the Washington County Detention Center at 7:11 a.m. Wednesday on a $2,595 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Springdale District Court on April 16.

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