ALEXANDRIA, Tenn. (WTVF) — Alexandria Mayor Beth Tripp and water plant operator Rich Potter turned themselves in to the DeKalb County Jail on Tuesday afternoon after being summoned earlier in the day.
According to the criminal summons, which we know was at least delivered directly to Mayor Tripp, she approached Chief of Police Vincent Turocy on May 29 to request the cancellation of a ticket.
Charging documents for Rich Potter state that on May 30 he approached Chief Turocy also asking him to cancel a ticket.
The citations that Tripp and Potter were trying to get canceled are not on the same person.
NewsChannel 5 spoke with DeKalb County District Attorney Bryant Dunaway, who confirmed the mayor asked the chief to drop a speeding ticket.
While the charges the two face are Class C misdemeanors, considered low-level offenses, they add to an increasing list of controversial decisions involving both officials.
Just last Saturday, four Alexandria aldermen cast a vote of no confidence against the mayor. The only alderman who abstained from voting was Jonathan Tripp, the mayor’s husband.
The mayor’s troubles began shortly after her election in August, when all three police officers resigned and public frustration grew over the town’s drinking water quality.
Alderman Sherry Tubbs stated that the charges against Mayor Tripp are grounds for her removal from office.
Both Tripp and Potter are scheduled to appear in DeKalb County General Sessions Court on June 26.
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