FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The Fort Wayne City Council has asked the city's attorney to answer several questions stemming from Mayor Tom Henry's recent drunken driving crash and the suspension of his driver's license for 90 days.
Council President Jason Arp sent the letter to City Attorney Malak Heiny on Friday and asked for a reply by the close of business Wednesday, Oct. 19.
The questions seek information on 12 topics, such as leasing information for the Chevrolet Impala the mayor was driving, insurance coverage and whether Henry was ever stopped by police previously.
Henry’s blood-alcohol level was 0.152 after he was arrested the evening of Oct. 9. Indiana’s legal limit to drive is 0.08.
Police said Henry was driving and his wife and mother-in-law were passengers when his vehicle went left of the center line and struck another car. The other driver was not injured.
Hours after his release from the Allen County Jail, Henry read a statement to reporters, apologizing "for the poor decision I made to get behind the wheel" after drinking alcohol at an event Saturday.
"Like every other resident of the city of Fort Wayne, I will be held accountable for those actions in future legal proceedings," he said. "I respect the legal process. I will adhere to the legal process. And I will accept the consequences."
He tweeted that he was "relieved that no one was hurt in this incident" and said the Fort Wayne Police Department "handled this situation with professionalism and followed all of the correct procedures and protocols."
The 70-year-old Democrat pleaded guilty Monday to operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person.
Henry, who was first elected in 2007, has said he plans to run again in 2023. Fort Wayne, with a population of roughly 265,000, is 120 miles northeast of Indianapolis.
Tom Didier, a Republican who plans to run for mayor, said he has known the Henry family for years.
"These relationships go beyond politics," he said. "I would encourage everyone to pray for them and all those involved in this accident, and I hope that no one was seriously harmed."
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