Williamson trial moved to McCreary County

Former Corbin Mayor Scott Williamson won two small battles in court recently in an effort to beat a public intoxication charge for which he was arrested in May.
Whitley District Court Judge Cathy Prewitt ruled Aug. 16 that prosecutors in the case against him could not use the results of a blood-alcohol test taken at Baptist Regional Medical center shortly after Williamson’s arrest. The decision is critical because the results showed the ex-mayor with a blood-alcohol level of 1.75, more than twice the legal limit of .08.
In her ruling, Prewitt said the results, subpoenaed by Corbin Police, were obtained in violation of patient privacy laws and could not be used. In June, Prewitt had sealed the test results pending a hearing on the issue.
Prewitt also granted a motion by Williamson’s attorney Paul Croley to move the case to McCreary County. Croley wrote in his motion that Williamson would be unable to receive a fair trial in Whitley County because the results of the blood-alcohol test were obtained by a newspaper, published and distributed in the county.
The News Journal published the results of Williamson’s blood-alcohol test June 8. The test results were also aired on a Williamsburg radio station’s news broadcast.
No hearing date has yet been set on the case in McCreary District Court.
Williamson was arrested in the early morning hours May 22 while walking on Gordon Hill Pike.
According to a police report, Williamson was covered in grass and had a scrape on his arm where he had apparently fallen while walking. The report, filed by officer Brandon White, also said Williamson was “very unsteady” on his feet, “had red, glassy eyes” and nearly fell over several times before being arrested.
Williamson denies he was intoxicated and said he never staggered during questioning and was never given a field sobriety test. A Breathalyzer test was inconclusive. Instead, he claims White arrested him as retaliation for a “speeding incident” over which the two disagreed two years ago.
Williamson was never taken to the Whitley County Jail because he complained of chest pains while at the police station. He was transported by ambulance to BRMC for examination.
Williamson was the longest running mayor in Corbin’s history. He served 11 years before resigning last Oct. to take a job with the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services.