Surry County’s chief prosecutor was arrested and charged with driving under the influence Saturday afternoon in James City County.
Gerald Glen Poindexter, 73, was trying to drive his vehicle onto a Jamestown-Scotland Wharf ferry on the Surry side of the river when he hit a curb, and ferry attendants tried to stop him from getting on the boat, according to James City County police Deputy Chief Steve Rubino.
Poindexter refused to stop, driving onto the ferry and hitting and causing minor damage to the rear of another vehicle, Rubino said in a release. Ferry officials called James City County police and said they thought the driver might be under the influence of alcohol.
Police responded at 3:41 p.m. and met Poindexter at the James City County dock. They arrested him for driving under the influence and not having his driver’s license in his possession.
According to Daily Press archives, Poindexter was first elected as Surry’s commonwealth’s attorney in 1995. In 2007, he faced scrutiny for his handling of the Michael Vick dogfighting case, with critics accusing him of dragging his feet before federal prosecutors stepped in. Vick, an NFL quarterback and Newport News native, eventually served time in prison.
As of press time, Poindexter was still being processed at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail. He was set to be released on bond once he had been processed, according to jail officials.
Murphy can be reached by phone at 757-247-4760.
