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Councilman in Jail for DUI

HONESDALE — A Honesdale Borough councilman was sentenced to 45 days in the Wayne County Jail for driving under the influence. However, he is still allowed...

HONESDALE -- A Honesdale Borough councilman was sentenced to 45 days in the Wayne County Jail for driving under the influence.

However, he is still allowed to serve in his public office.

Honesdale Borough councilman, James Brennan, is locked up after a Wayne County judge this week sentenced the councilman for driving under the influence in 2012.

Brennan, only in his second year of his four year council term is expected to spend at least 45 days behind bars for the crime.

People in town hope for the best for their councilman.

"I do hope he goes through the proper steps of getting help and going through the proper steps," said Jennifer Whitmore of Beach Lake.

"It happens to everybody, just if you're in the public eye or public office, you gotta kinda be a little more conscious of what you do, I guess, it's the lesson to be learned," said Megan Baumann of Honesdale.

Honesdale Borough Police said in April of 2012 an officer noticed a car, being driven by James Brennan speeding on Grandview Avenue, also known as Route 6, near Honesdale. The officer also noticed that car was going in and out of the double yellow lines, and that the turn signals were being activated for no apparent reason. So the officer pulled over the car, being driven by Brennan. Soon after, that officer noticed a strong odor of alcohol coming from the councilman's car.

Right now, it's up to Brennan to stay in office or resign because borough officials said legally he can't be thrown off council for a drunk driving offense.

The council president also got word that Brennan isn't planning to resign, and he's glad to hear it.

"He's one of the foudners of the memorial day parade to honor our veterans, and he runs it. I''m not sure how that's going to pan out this year," said F.J. Monaghan, Honesdale Borough council president.

Once Brennan gets out of jail he'll spend another 45 days under house arrest and then several years on probation.

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