NRV judge’s DUI charge reduced to reckless driving

WSLS News Staff
Published: May 20, 2008

Updated 6:27 p.m.

“Frankly, I would much rather be somewhere else today.”

Juvenile and Domestic Court Judge Michael Keith Blankenship looked nervous during a brief run-in with cameras outside the Smyth County Courthouse Tuesday afternoon.

Blankenship plead guilty to reckless driving and refusing to take a breathalyzer after he was spotted driving erratically on I-81 in Marc. Trooper Ronnie Collins with Virginia State Police says he smelled alcohol and had to argue with the judge before he agreed to get out of his car.

The prosecution however reduced the DUI charge to reckless driving, Prosecutor Chris Russell says the evidence was not sufficient for a DUI charge.

The judge ruled Blankenship pay a $100 fine and suspended his driver’s license for a year. In the meantime, defense attorney Mike Barbour says he’ll remain on paid administrative leave until all legal matters are resolved.

Barbour is also representing Blankenship in a separate hit and run case in Powhatan County.

In a statement released through his attorney, Blankenship “Sincerely apologizes to everyone who may have been offended or disappointed by his actions” at the time “he was attempting to manage an extremely difficult medical situation involving his mother….he also recognizes that he and no one else is responsible for his actions” and “would like to thank Trooper R.D Collins for his professional behavior.”

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A New River Valley Juvenile and Domestic Courts judge gets a DUI charge against him reduced to reckless driving.

Judge Keith Blankenship appeared in Smyth County court this afternoon.

Prosecutors say because Judge Blankenship refused to take a breathalyzer test when he was pulled over on Interstate 81 on March 1st in Smyth County, they did not have enough evidence to convict him of the DUI charge.  In Virginia, refusing to take a breathalyzer test results in a one year suspension of your driver’s license.

However, Judge blakenship was convicted on reckless driving, based on what the State Police Trooper who pulled Blankenship over observed.  Blankenship must pay a $100 fine.

At the hearing, Judge Blankenship apologized to the court, and claimed he was attending a serious medical condition involving his mother.  Blankenship also took full responsibility for his actions.

10 On Your Side’s Rosa Duarte attended the hearing.  She’ll bring you more of what went on in court tonight on WSLS at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Blankenship still faces charges in Powhatan County.  State police issued a warrant May 2nd charging Blankenship with misdeamnor hit and run.

State police say around 5:15 PM on April 27th in Powhatan County, Blankenship was traveling north on Huguenot Springs Road when he ran off the right side of the road and hit a telephone line box.

Police say Blankenship’s car then did “substantial” damage to an adjacent yard before getting back on the roadway and then running off the light side of the road.

Police say the vehicle went up an embankment and uprooted a tree before leaving the scene of the accident.

State police later found Blankenship in a Chesterfield County hotel, according to Virginia State Police public relations manager Corinne Geller.

Blankenship is the former commonwealth’s attorney in Wythe County.