Former Greece Police Chief Drew Forsythe pleaded guilty in Ogden Town Court Thursday evening to charges of Driving With Ability Impaired and leaving the scene of a property damage accident.
He then fought back tears as he faced TV cameras outside the courtroom and made a public apology to Greece officials, the men and women of the Greece Police Department and the Greece Community. Forsythe said he made a mistake that he wishes he could take back, but he can’t. He said “they supported me, the trusted me and I let them down.”
Forsythe was offered a plea deal by the Monroe County District Attorney, pleading to the lesser charge of DWAI instead of Driving While Intoxicated. His license will be suspended for 90 days and he will have to pay more than $1,100 in fines. He will also have to attend a victim impact panel and take an impaired driving course.
DA Sandra Doorley said Forsythe was truly remorseful and took responsibility for his actions. But she also said her department was brought in two days after the crash on Route 390 in which Forsythe slammed his town-issued SUV into a guardrail. She said the department didn’t investigate the crash and didn’t conduct field sobriety tests or make observations about the former chief’s condition.
Her investigation found Forsythe had been drinking at a downtown bar before driving home and getting into the crash.