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Last updated on Sunday, October 14, 2012
(SALEM) - Eric Worley, 36, 363 State Road 60, Campbellsburg, bonded out of jail Tuesday and resigned his position on the Washington County Park Board.
Stephanie Taylor Ferriell, of the Leader-Democrat reports, Worley, who stayed at Delaney Park over the weekend, was arrested Oct. 7 after he crashed his truck while leaving the park and later tested positive for prescription drugs.
In his initial appearance in Washington Superior Court before Judge Frank Newkirk, Worley was formally charged with five counts, the most serious being a C felony for possession of a controlled substance.
That charge was enhanced because the offense occurred within 1,000 feet of a public park. The other charges, all misdemeanors, are for operating a vehicle while intoxicated (two counts), dealing in marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.
Following his initial appearance in Washington Superior Court Tuesday morning, Worley posted a $13,000 full cash bond and was released from the detention center where he'd been held since his arrest.
Worley was appointed to the park board by Circuit Judge Larry Medlock in 2011. Rainbolt is the current board president and Worley was vice-president.
Medlock, through Worley's attorney, requested Worley's resignation from the park board. He requested the resignation to maintain integrity of the park board. Medlock said he understood the resignation letter was filed with the auditor's office Tuesday afternoon.
Medlock said he will make another appointment in the near future, but will be very cautious when making the appointment.
Worley is a candidate for the Washington County Council. He is one of three Republicans and two Democrats seeking three at-large seats.
County Clerk Shirley Batt said Wednesday any charges pending against Worley have no effect on his status as a candidate.
Even being convicted of a felony does not necessarily mean a person can't seek elected office.
Batt says if found guilty, Worley could seek to have it expunged from his record.
Batt said she has had not contract with Worley and he has not withdrawn from the council race.
Worley crashed while leaving Delaney Park shortly after 10 a.m. Oct. 7.
Deputy Jimmy Strange responded and found Worley slumped over the wheel, the rear of his 2001 Dodge Dakota truck stuck on a guardrail. Worley told Strange his brakes had failed, causing him to crash first into a utility pole with a phone box attached to it.
Worley had a contusion on his forehead, "his speech was very slurred and his manual dexterity was very poor," according to Strange's report.
Worley said he did not want an ambulance called. His wife arrived and transported him to St. Vincent Salem Hospital. Strange obtained a search warrant for a drug test. Worley tested positive for oxycontin and opiates.
Strange also obtained a search warrant for the vehicle. Among the items he found were a clear sandwich baggy containing marijuana along with $150 in cash, an unmarked pill bottle with a schedule IV controlled substance, digital weight scales and other items of drug paraphernalia.
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