Former Franklin mayor denies OVI charge

Carl Bray claims he was a group’s designated driver.

FRANKLIN — A former Franklin mayor and current council member was arrested and cited early Sunday for suspected OVI.

Carl Bray was stopped about 1:25 a.m. Sunday and was issued a citation for operating a vehicle impaired and left of center on Martha and Millard drives in Warren County, said Sgt. Scott Bierer of the Ohio State Highway Patrol Lebanon Post.

He was transported to the Franklin Police Department and released after refusing to take a Breathalyzer test, Bierer said.

Bray, who has previously served as mayor for one year and been a member of council for 10 years, denied he was drunk.

“I was a designated driver last night, picking some people up from a concert at JD Legends (Entertainment Complex on Millard Drive) and when I came out of there the road was torn up there in Franklin, and when I went around it, he said I swerved. He pulled me over and I told him I had not been drinking, which I hadn’t been, and was taking the people home,” he said.

“He wanted me to do a (Breathalyzer) test and I told him I had gout at this time, and I’m not doing the test.”

He said the arresting officer told him since he declined to take the field sobriety test he would have to arrest him. Bray said the officer gave him a ticket for OVI.

“I said, ‘How do you give me a ticket for OVI when I haven’t been drinking,’ ” he said.

Franklin City Manager Sony Lewis and council member Denny Centers both said they had no knowledge of the incident and declined to comment further.

Bray, who is self-employed, was first elected to council January 2002 and re-elected for terms in January 2006 and 2010. His present term on council expires December 31, 2013, according to the city’s website.

He also previously served as a Franklin Twp. Trustee, according to the website.

Contact this reporter at (513) 483-5219 or dewilson@coxohio.com.

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