UPDATE: W’Burg attorney arrested for DUI Wednesday morning on way to trial retracts previous statements

WREN

UPDATE: The Williamsburg attorney arrested Wednesday morning on DUI charges while on his way to court has recanted his initial statements regarding the incident, in which he called his arrest “politically motivated.”

James Wren, 67, notified the News Journal sometime Thursday evening that he would be withdrawing a motion to dismiss that he filed in the case of Carl Amos Moses, Jr., 27, of Williamsburg, who is facing attempted murder and other charges. A trial was already underway in that case, with jurors being seated and evidence beginning to be presented Tuesday. As a result of Wren’s arrest Wednesday, Judge Paul Winchester declared a mistrial due to Wren’s unavailability.

A motion was filed Thursday by Wren to strike his previous motion for dismissal, stating that it was “incorrect” and “without factual validation.”

For the full update, see the May 31 edition of the News Journal.

ORIGINAL STORY: A Williamsburg attorney was arrested Wednesday morning on a DUI charge while presumably on his way to court for the second day of a jury trial that has now been reset as a result of the arrest.

James Wren, 67, was taken into custody just before 9 a.m. Wednesday following a reckless driver complaint. He was released from the Whitley County Detention Center just after 2 p.m. and has told the News Journal that he believes he was targeted and that his arrest was “politically motivated.”

An arrest citation, obtained from the Whitley County District Court Clerk’s Office, details the events leading up to Wren’s arrest.

The citation states that the person who made the 911 complaint had followed Wren’s vehicle from King Donuts near Exit 11 to Main Street near downtown Williamsburg and allegedly witnessed Wren’s vehicle swerving all over the road and driving up on the sidewalk.

Officers with the Williamsburg Police Department located Wren’s vehicle, which was allegedly driving approximately 10 mph and making wide, sweeping turns.

A traffic stop was performed along Fourth Street in front of Wren’s law office. When approached by officers, Wren allegedly asked “Am I going to jail?” with slurred speech before admitting to police that he was on a lot of medication and hadn’t slept, according to the citation.

Wren also allegedly fell asleep in the driver’s seat of his vehicle while police waited for backup to arrive.

Wren was asked to exit his vehicle to allow for a field sobriety test, during which the citation claims that Wren “could not follow simple instructions to follow the stimulus” during a review of his eyes. During the physical portions of the field sobriety test, Wren “could not stand properly,” according to the citation, and he eventually told police he could not continue the test.

“Mr. Wren made several statements to me he was very sleepy and was on a lot of medication. Mr. Wren also reported some of the medication he takes makes him sleepy,” the citation reads. “I observed Mr. Wren with watery bloodshot eyes as well. Mr. Wren had a difficult time maintaining his balance.”

The citation states that Wren was taken to Baptist Health Corbin, where he consented to a blood draw for analysis. Williamsburg Police Public Affairs Officer Steven Hill said Wednesday afternoon that no results had been received yet and the substance(s) Wren had allegedly taken were still unknown.

Wren was charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence and reckless driving.

Wren’s arrest has prompted a mistrial in the case he was actively defending in Whitley Circuit Court, in which Carl Amos Moses, Jr., 27, of Williamsburg, is facing charges of attempted murder, second-degree assault, fourth-degree assault, two counts of kidnapping – adult, four counts of kidnapping of a minor, nine counts of first-degree wanton endangerment and one count of first-degree wanton endangerment of a police officer.

A jury was selected Tuesday and witness testimony had already begun in the trial.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Ronnie Bowling stated Wednesday afternoon that he was unsure when a new trial date may be set in the case, noting that it could not be presented again to the current pool of potential jurors. The next jury panel is not scheduled to convene until sometime in July.

Following Wren’s release from jail, he provided the News Journal with a statement regarding his arrest, in which he noted that he would be pleading not guilty to his own charges at his arraignment.

“I believe it was politically motivated and I am going to be filing a motion for dismissal of the indictment against Mr. Moses,” said Wren. “There’s very few people who knew what car I was driving this morning or last night, and it just so happened that when I went out to my car last evening the complaining witness and all of her family saw me get into the car.”

Wren noted that he would be filing his motion for dismissal sometime this afternoon.

In that case, on Jan. 15, 2022, Moses allegedly assaulted his wife with a handgun, also biting her and another female during an incident at the couple’s home near Emlyn. Moses allegedly discharged the handgun inside the residence and in the vicinity of their children before refusing to let them leave.

There were four children in the home during the incident, ranging from five to eight years old at the time.

Officers with the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, Williamsburg Police Department and eventually Kentucky State Police responded to the scene, where Moses reportedly retrieved the gun used in the alleged assault and pointed it at police. A KSP trooper then shot Moses, wounding him in the arm and chest.

Moses was then flown to the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Hospital for treatment, where he spent five days before being taken into custody and lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center.

This is a developing story as an investigation is still ongoing.