Florida Mayor Arrested in DUI Crash

Mayor Craig Lowe, police photo.

When you’re the mayor of a city that’s home to the #6 party school in America, do you try to set a good example for all those hammered co-eds, or do you just roll with it? Well, it seems Gainesville mayor Craig Lowe rolled with it right into a sign early Thursday morning after allegedly having a few drinks.

Alachua County sheriff’s deputies say Lowe appeared intoxicated and admitted to having had three beers. He reportedly did not do well on a field sobriety test and was taken to jail. The accident reportedly took place at 2:20 a.m., the trooper who responded to the scene arrived at 3:46 a.m., and Lowe as arrested at 4:58 a.m. By the time he got to the jail, the Gainesville Sun reports that a breathalyzer test showed a BAC of .061 and .069, under the limit of .08. Because he was booked into the jail after 6 a.m., he was not placed on the list for Thursday’s first court appearance and has to wait until 9 a.m. Friday.

The arrest may have a negative impact of Lowe’s upcoming re-election campaign, but it likely won’t come in the form of smear campaigns from his arch rival’s camp. The other contender for Gainesville’s mayoral seat is Ed Braddy, who was arrested for DUI in 2006 while serving on the city commission. Braddy, who pleaded no contest and entered alcohol treatment, told the Gainesville Sun that he wishes the mayor all the best: “I’m grateful no one was injured in the incident, and I hope he gets the help he needs … I really encourage people, no matter who they are supporting in the runoff, to give him his space.”

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