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A former local police officer and Corbin City Commission candidate was arrested over the weekend for drunk driving and other traffic offenses.
Bronson Fugate, 35, was arrested early Sunday morning after allegedly attempting to avoid a Kentucky State Police traffic checkpoint on Old U.S. 25 and Slate Ridge at about 12:35 a.m. According to a KSP arrest citation, Fugate spotted the check and then turned into a driveway without signaling, prompting Trooper Steve Smallwood to investigate.
Authorities say Fugate stepped out of his car smelling like alcohol. Smallwood conducted several field sobriety tests, and a portable breathalyzer test on Fugate, all of which he failed. Smallwood said Fugate told him he’d consumed "about nine beers" before he was stopped.
After being arrested and taken to the London Police Department, Fugate refused to take an Intoxilyzer Breath test after attempting to contact two local attorneys. Under Kentucky law, refusal to take the test when asked by police is a mandatory 30-day license suspension.
Fugate is charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, failure to signal and failure to notify address change to the Department of Transportation. All charges are misdemeanor offenses.
Fugate was arraigned in Laurel District Court Monday and entered not guilty pleas to all charges in front of Senior-Status Judge Roderick Messer.
A pretrial conference in his case is set for June 2 at 9:30 am.
Fugate is free on $1,000 partially secured cash bond.
