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Wednesday, June 19, 2013
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Watertown councilwoman Burns charged with DWI

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Watertown City Councilwoman Roxanne M. Burns was arrested Thursday night for aggravated driving while intoxicated after she was allegedly involved in a property damage accident at Ives Hill Country Club.

City police said that Ms. Burns, 51, of 255 Mullin St., hit a guard rail in front of the country club building at about 8:39 p.m. Thursday after attending a retirement party for City Court Judge James C. Harberson and then left the scene. Someone at Ives Hill reported the accident, police said.

She blew a 0.20 percent Blood Alcohol Content, police said. Ms. Burns, who could not be reached for comment, was also charged with leaving the scene of a property damage accident. A person is charged with aggravated DWI when the BAC is more than 0.18 percent.

She was arrested at her home and taken to the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building, where she was processed and later released, police said. She was instructed to appear in city court at 11 a.m. Dec. 21 before City Judge-elect Eugene R. Renzi.

Mayor Jeffrey E. Graham, a political ally of the councilwoman, and council members Jeffrey M. Smith and Joseph M. Butler Jr. could not be reached for comment. Contacted Friday morning, Councilwoman Teresa R. Macaluso declined to comment.

Ms. Burns was re-elected last month to a fourth four-year term after running unopposed. She was first elected in 1997.

Earlier in the evening, Ms. Burns represented the city when she gave a citation honoring Judge Harberson, who is retiring at the end of the month. Several members of the local legal community, including judges and law enforcement officers, also attended the retirement party.

In August 2009, city police investigated a complaint that Ms. Burns struck a light pole near her home and did not report the incident. Police later determined that she did not have to notify them because the light pole did not sustain any damage.

In explaining that incident, she said that one of her tires swiped the pole.

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