Grand Isle State’s Attorney Doug DiSabito pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges that he drove intoxicated to a courthouse in St. Albans.
DiSabito, who appeared remotely, didn’t speak during the brief hearing in Chittenden County criminal court. He faces a charge of driving under the influence, which carries a maximum prison sentence of two years.
Judge David Fenster didn’t impose any conditions of release on DiSabito as the case continues.
DiSabito was arrested by St. Albans city police at the Franklin County Superior Courthouse on April 14. Court staff reported that he showed signs of impairment when he arrived that afternoon, according to a police affidavit.
DiSabito appeared to slur his speech and smelled of intoxicants, police said in the affidavit.
One court staffer told police that when DiSabito arrived at the courthouse, he pulled into the parking lot quickly and honked his horn. He told the courthouse employee that he “just had to do it” when he got out of his car, according to a police affidavit.
St. Albans police arrested DiSabito after he showed signs of impairment during field sobriety tests at the courthouse, the affidavit said.
Officers handcuffed DiSabito and brought him to the police station, where DiSabito told them that he’d taken two Xanax pills earlier that day before driving to visit his father. DiSabito had a breath alcohol concentration of 0.084%, which was above the legal limit of 0.08%, according to the affidavit.
Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George, whose office is handling the case, declined to comment after the hearing.
George took on the case after both the Franklin County State’s Attorney Bram Kranichfeld and Attorney General Charity Clark declined, citing potential conflicts of interest.
The pending DUI charge doesn’t prevent DiSabito from continuing to serve as the county prosecutor. But Clark, in a statement last month, said if DiSabito — the only attorney in his office — could no longer serve as state’s attorney, her office would have to step in.
“Given the unique operational dynamics of this matter, our role is not to prosecute the DUI,” Clark said in a written statement. “Instead, it is to serve as the safety net for the people of Grand Isle County.”
Clark’s office did prosecute Addison County state’s attorney Eva Vekos when she was arrested for driving under the influence. A spokesperson for Clark said in an email last month that Vekos’ office, unlike DiSabito’s, has deputy state’s attorneys that can handle cases.
