Pennsylvania Mayor Arrested, Faces DUI Charges After Alleged Traffic Incident

Upper Darby Mayor Barbarann Keffer was arrested Thursday night in Upper Chichester Township on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to police.

Keffer, 56, reportedly was driving on Route 322 with a flat tire and a broken headlight, CBS News reports.

She appeared drunk and it’s believed she got into a crash.

After an officer determined Keffer wasn’t able to drive following field sobriety tests, she was taken to the police department.

Keffer reportedly refused a blood test.

She now faces multiple charges, including driving under the influence and careless driving.

FOX 29 Philadelphia reporter Steve Keeley commented:

2/2 Law enforcement sources say after her arrest for suspicion of DUI, Keffer refused to submit to DUI testing. “She she was processed, then she released with a summons to appear on court.” So far, no public comment from Keffer on this. @FOX29philly

— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) January 27, 2023

More info from CBS News:

According to an affidavit of probable cause, police pulled Keffer over after 9 p.m.

After exiting her Toyota Corolla for field sobriety tests, Keffer had “slurred speech, glassy bloodshot eyes, had unstable balance and a strong odor of alcoholic beverage emanating from her breath,” an Upper Chichester officer wrote in the affidavit.

Upper Darby officials sent a statement Friday afternoon.

Last evening, Mayor Barbarann Keffer was involved in a traffic incident and plans to cooperate fully with local authorities in Upper Chichester. The Mayor was arrested on suspicion of DUI and released. Mayor Keffer and her family request privacy as they deal with the personal aspects of this incident and she will offer additional comment in the near future.

Steve Keeley shared the Upper Chichester Police Affidavit of Probable Cause:

Upper Chichester Police Affidavit of Probable Cause in Upper Darby Mayor Barbarann Keffer,DUI arrest “defendant had slurred speech,glassy bloodshot eyes,had unstable balance &a strong odor of alcoholic beverage emanating from her breath…refused to be fingerprinted&photographed.” pic.twitter.com/OW2AZFGr74

— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) January 27, 2023

The Philadelphia Inquirer shared additional details about the reported damage to Keffer’s vehicle:

The officer said the passenger side front tire of Keffer’s car was flat and that there was fresh damage to the bumper.

Police traced the location of Keffer’s car throughout the night using license plate readers and found part of a guardrail that was damaged on the 700 block of Meetinghouse Road. The damage to the guardrail, they said, was consistent with the damage to the front bumper of Keffer’s car.

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