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County employee’s arrest has not affected job status

By LEE WILLIAMS
lwilliams@TheCitizenNews.com

Fayette County Tax Commissioner George Wingo’s son had another run-in with the law this month, but the incident likely won’t affect his job at the Fayette County Parks and Recreation Department, officials say.

Kevin Daniel Wingo, the athletic coordinator for the Recreation Department, was arrested July 7 by Fayetteville police for allegedly driving on a suspended license.

The incident occurred about 10:50 a.m. July 7 while Wingo was on his way to work, police said.

“Officers had prior knowledge of his suspended license,” Fayetteville police spokeswoman Lt. Beverly Trainor said.

The 26-year-old Fayetteville resident was booked into the Fayette County Jail and released the same day after posting a $715 bond.

Kevin Wingo’s arrest comes on the heels of another arrest Oct. 19, 2004. Fayetteville police arrested him that day for failure to use turn signal, no license on person and DUI after he refused to submit to a blood alcohol test. He was booked into the jail and released the same day after posting a $1,316 bond.

As a result of the Oct. 19 arrest, his license was suspended.

Former Fayetteville Solicitor Keith Martin did not comment on the Kevin Wingo case. But he indicated those who fail to submit to an alcohol test will automatically will have their license suspended that day.

The suspension can be appealed, but it’s no guarantee that the offender will get his or her license back on a DUI refusal case, officials say.

“It’s a hard suspension,” Martin said.

Wingo is expected to have his day in court for the DUI case Sept. 12 at 8 a.m. in the Fayetteville Municipal Court, Trainor said. He also is scheduled for an arraignment on the suspended license offense on Sept. 1, Trainor added.

Carol Chandler, spokeswoman for the Fayette County Board of Commissioners, said she was unaware of Kevin Wingo’s recent arrest for driving on a suspended license. But she didn’t think it would affect his position at the recreation department.

“If you have incidences in your personal life and these things don’t relate to your official position then the county doesn’t become involved,” Chandler said.

She indicated the county’s decision not to discipline him or terminate his employment was not decided solely on the basis of who Kevin Wingo’s father is.

“He wouldn’t get any different treatment than anybody else,” Chandler said. “Our standards and regulations would be applied consistently throughout the system, no matter what. When it’s all concluded and there is an outcome in the case, if it’s something that involves his position with the county, we would consider that. But unless it effects his official position, we wouldn’t be involved in that.”

Kevin Wingo’s father also said he would not intervene in the case.

“I have not spoken to anybody,” the tax commissioner said. “I have done absolutely nothing to try to preserve his job. You won’t find anybody to tell you that I have.”