Dearborn Fire Chief charged with drunken driving after being reinstated by mayor
Dearborn’s fire chief was charged Wednesday, more than two months after being arrested and placed on administrative leave on suspicion of drunken driving, with two counts of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. And he was reinstated Monday by Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, who had placed him on administrative leave in August.
Joseph Murray, 44, was stopped by police at about 2:44 a.m. Aug. 29 in Dearborn Heights, near Telegraph Road and Carlysle Street, and taken into custody, Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy said. Murray was charged with one count each of operating while intoxicated and operating with a high blood alcohol content, said Worthy spokesperson Maria Miller.
A state police report shows that his blood alcohol content was 0.201, which is higher than the 0.17 needed for enhanced penalties under what is known as Michigan's "super drunk" law that applies in cases of high blood alcohol content.
In a statement released Thursday to the Free Press, Hammoud said he decided to reinstate Murray because of the mayor's "humility to not evaluate an individual in their darkest moments."
Murray returned to work on Monday, Oct. 30, said city spokesman Hassan Abbas.
In a video obtained by the Dearborn Press & Guide, Murray can be overheard telling officers he had "four or five beers." An officer replied: "Let's just be honest, you're absolutely ripped. You're hammered drunk. You can barely speak; you can barely stand up."
Murray indicated he had been drinking at a bar in Taylor. He was seen wearing a shirt with an explicit word on it.
Drunk driving charges are usually brought shortly after arrests. Asked why the charges against Murray were filed more than two months later, Worthy spokesperson Miller said the prosecutor's office received the warrant request from Dearborn Heights police on Oct. 6.
But "it was not sent to the Public Integrity Unit (PIU) by the police department when it came in," Miller said. "It was recently transferred to PIU and charged."
The charges were brought Nov. 1 and signed by a judge that morning, Miller said.
More: Dearborn fire chief placed on leave after drunken driving arrest
Murray has been with Dearborn's fire department since 2004, according to his biography posted on the city's website. In 2012, he was named fire chief by then-Mayor John O'Reilly Jr. He is president of the Southeastern Michigan Association of Fire Chiefs.
Murray is set to be arraigned Dec. 1 in 20th District Court in Dearborn Heights.
Hammoud added in his statement that he made his decision to reinstate Murray after "careful consideration."
Hammoud said "the choice to retain Chief Murray derives from balancing a two-decades-long career in public service and the humility to not evaluate an individual in their darkest moments. I am confident that Dearborn residents will be served well by Chief Murray as he works towards continuing his duties in full."
Hammoud also thanked Deputy Fire Chief Laura Ridenour and assistant fire chiefs for helping run the department during Murray's two-month absence.
Contact Niraj Warikoo: nwarikoo@freepress.com, Facebook.com/nwarikoo or X @nwarikoo
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Dearborn Fire Chief Joseph Murray charged with drunken driving
