Newton County manager arrested on DUI charge
Newton County Manager Harold Cooper
NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. - A county manager is facing a DUI charge after his arrest over the weekend.
Deputies took Harold Cooper into custody early Saturday morning after they say they spotted him driving erratically on the Covington Bypass.
What we know:
The Convington News reports that a deputy spotted a white BMW driving over the rumble strips near Middle Ridge Elementary School at 3 a.m.
The deputy reportedly pulled over the vehicle and administered a field sobriety test on Cooper.
Cooper was charged with driving under the influence and improper lane usage - both misdemeanors.
The backstory:
Cooper had been hired as Newton County's manager in May 2023. His two-year contract had an annual salary of $150,000.
What's next:
The Newton County official was released from jail on bond on Saturday morning.
He is scheduled to appear in court in March.
The Newton County Board of Commissioners will likely discuss his arrest during a specially called meeting on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Newton County Historic Courthouse. The board is expected to go into executive session to discuss "personnel" during the meeting.
The Source: Details for this story came from a report by the Newton County Sheriff's Office and a story by The Covington News. This article has been updated since it was originally published to add details about a specially called meeting on Wednesday.