Still paid, but not working: County asks Whitmer to oust sheriff who drove drunk
The St. Joseph County Board of
Commissioners has asked Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to remove Sheriff Mark Lillywhite from office after he crashed his county-issued vehicle while driving drunk at 96 mph, pleaded guilty to misdemeanors, and allegedly stopped showing up to work.
In an Aug. 31 letter to the governor,
the board wrote that Lillywhite had "failed to perform his statutory duties as sheriff" and exhibited "willful neglect of his office."
"The Board of Commissioners has lost all confidence in Sheriff Lillywhite's ability to lead the St. Joseph County Sheriff's Office," the letter said. "We believe that he is no longer fit to serve as sheriff, and we urge you to take immediate action to remove him from office."
Lillywhite was arrested on Feb. 26 after he rear-ended another vehicle on southbound U.S. 131 in Kalamazoo County. No one was injured in the crash. Lillywhite had a blood alcohol content of 0.28, more than three times the legal limit for driving in Michigan.
Lillywhite pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence and reckless driving. He was sentenced to one year of probation and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.
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