WASHINGTONCounty officials are reviewing county employees' driving privileges after police reportedly arrested a Department of Economic Development employee driving drunk at 8 a.m. June 4 in a county-owned sport utility vehicle, according to the Washington Examiner.

The 10-year employee, Cynthia Harrison, has six prior convictions for driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated, according to police and court records, and is required to have an interlock device, which is designed to block drunken driving, in her personal vehicles, reports the Examiner.

A county spokeswoman said the county should have been aware of Harrison's driving record before allowing her access to a county-owned vehicle.

The county's chief administrative officer, Tim Firestine, is putting together a work group to consider whether new rules or background checks are needed to prevent a similar incident, Bigler said. The county manages a fleet of more than 2,200 cars and SUVs. 

Bigler said that Harrison, whose job is to help local businesses become more profitable, was permitted to use a county vehicle for business purposes, but had violated county policy by taking a county-owned vehicle home. 

Harrison's arrest is the third reported incident in recent months involving county employees accused of driving drunk while operating county-owned vehicles.

 

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