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House floor leader to contest DUI charges
Rep. John Paul Sablan (R-Saipan) has decided to fight the driving-under-the-influence charge that was filed against him.
During a change of plea hearing yesterday, Sablan’s lawyer, Vince Torres, said that Sablan is standing by his initial plea of innocence.
Sablan’s bench trial is set for July 22 at 9am at the Marianas Business Plaza.
The Commonwealth was represented yesterday by Office of the Attorney General’s Robert Glass.
Sablan, 38, who is also the floor leader of the House of Representatives, was initially charged with six traffic violations; he pleaded not guilty to all of them.
The charges are driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving, refusing to submit to a breathalyzer test, vehicle lights violations, driving illegally on the wrong side of the road, and accidents (hitting a lamp post)
Reckless driving and DUI are punishable by up to six months imprisonment and a maximum fine of $1,000.
According to a Department of Public Safety traffic report, Sablan was involved in an auto accident on Beach Road, hitting a pathway lamp on Sept. 30, 2018, at about 2:35am.
Sablan was brought to the Department of Corrections for booking and detention immediately after, but was later released at 6:30am.
