Former sheriff candidate’s DWI case dismissed, but not history

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A former Pender County sheriff candidate might not be out of hot water just yet.

On Tuesday, charges against Scott Lawson for DWI and reckless driving were dismissed because blood tests were not submitted a year after the alleged offense. Troopers say Lawson drove through an intersection and into a yard, hitting two parked cars. District Attorney Ben David said it takes about 17 months to get those tests back.

“We are not saying that anyone is escaping justice,” David said. “What we’re doing is saying we’re picking another venue when we can have all of the evidence. What we’re going to do is we’re going to get those tests back and then, if appropriate, put that in front of a grand jury and try them in Superior Court under that misdemeanor, or we could go right back into a district court and re-file it within a year.”

David added it takes so long to get the tests back because the court systems are grossly under-funded.