DWI Charges Dismissed Against Former FAA Boss Randy Babbitt
A district court judge in Virginia dismissed drunk driving charges against former FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt on Thursday. The story was first reported inThe Washington Post. A video of the police stopping Babbitt was played in court and the judge ruled that he was pulled over on a “mere hunch” by the police officer. Babbitt had made a normal and legal turn into the driveway of a business and did not drive on the wrong side of the road as the police officer reported in his criminal complaint after the incident occurred last December.
An initial blood alcohol test showed the Babbitt was below the legal limit but prosecutors claimed to have additional tests that showed otherwise. But the case was dismissed before any blood alcohol evidence was introduced because the video of the stop showed Babbitt to be driving in a normal fashion and breaking no laws, the Post reported.
After the drunk driving charges were made public Babbitt resigned his post as FAA administrator even though a trial to determine any guilt was months away. He told reporters he is not sorry that he resigned and holds no ill will toward the officer who arrested him. Babbitt now works as an aviation consultant.
