Former Breckinridge County Sheriff Todd Pate had his bond revoked after upsetting the special judge and prosecutor in the case while refusing to agree to a proposed plea deal.
On Thursday, WXBC.com reports that Pate appeared in a Breckinridge County courtroom and expressed remorse for the March 2019 drunk driving wreck that injured Leitchfield resident Jill Lanning, but refused the plea deal which called for the former sheriff to plead guilty to a felony charge.
Under the deal, Pate would have served 75 days in jail (minus time served), plus participate in a pretrial diversion program.
According to WXBC.com, “When asked by Special Judge Janet Crocker if he was ready to enter a guilty plea, the former Breckinridge County Sheriff hesitated, then asked to make a statement, which Crocker declined to grant … When Pate again tried to make a statement, Special Prosecutor Blake Chambers made a motion for Pate’s bond to be revoked. Crocker gave Pate and counsel Doug Vowels time to discuss the situation. A short time later, Pate reappeared before the court, again hesitating to enter the plea, saying he felt he was being “bullied” into a felony charge that was not warranted. Against advice of counsel, Pate expressed remorse for what he called “a bad decision” but he was uncomfortable entering the plea. A now-agitated Crocker agreed with the Commonwealth’s motion (and over Vowels’ objection) to revoke the bond.”
Crocker scheduled a hearing for Pate to reconsider the plea agreement for Friday, March 20. But with state courts on hiatus until mid-April because of COVID-19 concerns, that date may be pushed back.
Pate is lodged in the Grayson County Detention Center.
Pate’s March 2019 DUI arrest was his second in less than four years following his October 2015 arrest in Bowling Green after being found intoxicated and behind the wheel of a vehicle in the parking lot of a Waffle House. Police had been looking for Pate after his wife swore out a warrant against him for threatening to kill her and her parents. He was originally charged with terroristic threatening and DUI among other charges in that case.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
