New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Eric Paul Williams was arrested in the early morning hours of Sunday, January 18, after allegedly speeding drunk through Carolina Beach, according to court documents.
Williams was allegedly driving at 60 m.p.h. in a 35 m.p.h. zone of North Lake Park Boulevard at approximately 1:30 a.m. in the morning. He was arrested by Carolina Beach police on the north side of Snow’s Cut Bridge at 9900 Carolina Beach Road. According to court records, a breath test was administered, and Williams blew a BAC of .25 (over three times the legal limit).
A magistrate released Williams on a $2,500 unsecured bond, meaning no cash was required upfront, and the amount would be due only if he failed to appear for his first court appearance. The magistrate noted that Williams had “no prior record.” The unsecured bond appears to have allowed Williams to avoid being booked into the detention center. His case is still pending in New Hanover County Court; the next hearing is in March.
On Tuesday, January 20, Williams resigned from the Sheriff's Office.
Williams was hired in 2014 as a detention officer at $15.87/hour. He later moved to patrol in 2018. His pay at the time of his resignation was $33.11/hour, according to records provided by the Sheriff’s Office.
