Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — A member of the Salt Lake City Council, who was arrested in Utah County last week on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, said she is "taking responsibility" for the incident, and will take a break from her responsibilities over the next 30 days.
Salt Lake City Councilwoman Amy Fowler offered a statement Tuesday at the end of a closed meeting that lasted nearly two hours prior to a Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City meeting scheduled for the afternoon.
"I do want to take a moment to apologize. I am truly sorry that this has affected my colleagues on the council, as well as the mayor, city staff and the city as a whole," she said. "While I am grateful for the personal expressions of concern and support that I have received, I want to say that I truly regret causing any distraction from the important work that is happening (in) the city."
She added that she intends to remain in office. In a joint statement to KSL.com Tuesday night, members of the council said Fowler agreed to resign as the vice chairwoman of the city's RDA board this year and will also be "stepping back from some of her public duties" over the next month as she focuses on the "personal matter." It wasn't clear which roles she will retain over the next 30 days.
Fowler was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, a class B misdemeanor, in Springville Justice Court on Saturday in relation to her arrest. Utah Highway Patrol officials said she may face additional charges as a result of a minor crash in Salt Lake County, which the agency is still investigating.
She was arrested shortly before 11 a.m. Wednesday, nearly two hours after Utah Highway Patrol troopers received a report of a hit-and-run crash on I-15 near 4800 South in Murray. UHP Sgt. Cameron Roden told KSL.com Tuesday that two vehicles were involved in a minor collision and a pair of witnesses were able to relay the license plate of a vehicle that left the scene to UHP troopers.
"The trooper was able to track down her contact information from that, and make a phone call to her and talk to her on the phone," Roden said.
The trooper then asked the driver, identified as Fowler, to pull over where she was, so UHP could get her statement in relation to the crash. She agreed to stop in the Springville area, where she was met by another trooper who was stationed in Utah County.
The second trooper reported smelling alcohol on Fowler's breath, according to a police booking affidavit. She denied using alcohol when asked about it and also initially refused to perform any field sobriety tests before failing the tests, the affidavit states. The agency added that she submitted a breath test that showed a blood alcohol level of 0.111, more than twice the legal blood-alcohol content limit in Utah.
Roden said that Fowler could face additional charges related to leaving the scene of the accident in Murray, which would likely be filed in another court. A spokesperson for the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office said the Murray Justice Court is handling the case.
Fowler was first elected to the Salt Lake City Council in 2017 and reelected in 2021, representing the city's District 7, which includes Sugar House.
The Salt Lake City Council met Tuesday for the first time since Fowler's arrest; however, the first item of its work session was closed to the public, which is permitted by state code if the council's discussion touches on a few different issues, including the "investigative proceedings regarding allegations of criminal misconduct" or for "attorney-client matters," among other reasons.
Once the meeting ended, Fowler said she is not stepping away from her position, but she did not attend the rest of the public meetings held Tuesday. She added that she is taking the incident "very seriously on a personal level," though she "cannot talk about the details" of the case at the moment.
"I recognize that this incident may have caused a lack of trust and I will work hard to rebuild that trust," she said. "It has sincerely been an eye-opening experience for me and it's truly made me reflect on my relationship with alcohol and the decisions that I have made. I am deeply committed to working through these issues with my therapist and my God."
In its joint statement Tuesday night, the members of the council reiterated that they "very much appreciate" Fowler's statement but they believe elected officials "are accountable to the public they serve."
The council added that residents can contact the council office either at 801-535-7600 or council.comments@slcgov.com with questions and concerns.
"We believe it is important to recognize that, as humans, council members make mistakes and errors. We also believe in extending compassion and grace to all individuals, including our council colleagues, at times like this," the statement read, in part.
"We want to be clear that, as the City Council, we consider the safety and well-being of the public our utmost priority," the council members added. "During this process, we remain committed to transparency and serving the residents of Salt Lake City to the best of our ability."
