Former Columbia police chief pleads guilty to excessive blood alcohol

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia's former police chief pleaded guilty Friday to driving with excessive blood-alcohol content, his attorney said.

Columbia police pulled Ken Burton over in May near his home and the city prosecutor subsequently charged him with DWI and failure to yield. Burton had resigned in December 2018. The move came after then-interim City Manager John Glascock placed him on leave following a controversy over changes to the Columbia Police Department's Community Outreach Unit.

Police released Burton with a ticket after the stop.

Burton's attorney, Andrew Popplewell, tried to get evidence thrown out in the case, saying police stopped and ticketed Burton unlawfully.

Popplewell said the plea deal was reached before a hearing in Burton's case Friday morning. Popplewell told ABC 17 News afterward that the city prosecutor dropped the failure to yield charge and Burton pleaded guilty to having excessive blood-alcohol content, a Class B misdemeanor on the first offense.

He was ordered to pay a $500 fine and $149.50 in court costs, Popplewell said.