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Update: Wilmington City Councilman Charlie Rivenbark addresses DWI arrest

Wilmington City Councilman Charles Haywood Rivenbark, Jr. was arrested in Brunswick County on May 11.
Brunswick County Sheriff's Office
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WHQR
Wilmington City Councilman Charles Haywood Rivenbark, Jr. was arrested in Brunswick County on May 11.

According to Brunswick County Sheriff's Office records, Councilman Rivenbark was arrested in Leland for driving while intoxicated and failing to maintain lane control.

According to Brunswick County Sheriff's Office (BCSO), Rivenbark was arrested around 1:45 a.m. while driving on US-17 in the Leland area. He was cited for failing to maintain lane control. A blood test revealed a blood alcohol level of 0.11, over the legal .08 limit.

According to the warrant for his arrest, both a BCSO deputy and a Leland Police Department officer were witnesses.

Rivenbark was released without a cash bond payment after a judge accepted a "written promise" to appear in court, according to BCSO. His next scheduled court date is June 27.

In an email, Rivenbark wrote, "[l]ate on the night of May 10 I received a call from my son, who was experiencing an adverse medical event. At the time I was on a trip with colleagues in Myrtle Beach. My son is a quadriplegic and his health and well-being are my top priority. Later that evening I made the decision to leave Myrtle Beach and come home to be with him and to help his mother. I did not think that I was impaired. In hindsight, it was not the right decision but it was the one I made based on the knowledge that he was in pain. I accept responsibility for my actions and I am truly sorry for this situation I have created."