West Bath District Court

Westrum pleads to lesser charge in deferred disposition

Fri, 01/06/2017 - 8:00am

Two Bridges Jail Commander Mark Westrum pled guilty to a lesser charge as part of a deferred disposition agreement on Jan. 4 at the West Bath Courthouse.

Westrum was stopped for OUI (alcohol) in Bath in early October. Tests showed him at .125 percent blood alcohol concentration. The legal limit is .08 percent. Because of the high BAC, Westrum was facing charges of Aggravated OUI, which carries a mandatory minimum of 48 hours in jail.

The deferred disposition agreement includes a fine of $500 and a loss of his driver’s license for 150 days. It also includes stipulations that Westrum continue with substance abuse treatment and attend regular substance abuse meetings.  If he complies with all requirements of the agreement, in July, the aggravated OUI will no longer be part of his record.

He was placed on leave with pay from his position in an executive session at a special meeting of the Two Bridges Jail Authority in October. Since then, every month, his position is considered and his leave continued. The next Jail Authority meeting will take place on Jan. 11, and on the agenda under old business is a recommendation that the authority “move to go into executive session pursuant to 1 MRSA section 405 6 A: ‘to discuss the appointment, assignment and duties of an individual.’”