Kanawha assistant prosecutor fired after DUI charges

CHARLESTON – A Kanawha County assistant prosecutor was fired after his superiors discovered he had been arrested May 8 for driving drunk on Kanawha Boulevard.

Charleston Police stopped Scott F. Reynolds after he had driven his jeep through a red light and turned east on to Kanawha Boulevard near California Avenue, according to a criminal complaint filed in Kanawha Magistrate Court.

Patrolman C.E. Sizemore said the prosecutor smelled of alcohol and slurred his words as he spoke.

Reynolds' eyes were also glassy and he appeared to be confused, according to the complaint.

The complaint states that Reynolds questioned the officers as they began to administer three field sobriety tests, which he failed.

Reynolds' blood alcohol level later registered as a 0.126 on a Breathalyzer test, exceeding the legal limit of 0.08.

To avoid a conflict of interest, a prosecutor from another county will take Reynolds' DUI case.

Kanawha County Prosecutor Mark Plants said the DUI is absolutely unacceptable and that Reynolds would not receive special treatment.

"He'll be prosecuted based on the evidence—just like everyone else would be," Plants said. "It's totally unacceptable for my employees to drive drunk."

Plants said a DUI is a very serious crime, which was why he terminated Reynolds' employment.

"A DUI is unacceptable for the general public and they are completely unacceptable for my employees," Plants said.

Reynolds was previously charged with driving drunk at least two other times while working as a prosecutor in other counties.

Reynolds had been working as a prosecutor in the Grand Jury division in Kanawha County since 2007.