Milwaukee County supervisor returns to work after drunk driving arrest, leaves meeting early

Marcelia Nicholson



MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee County Supervisor Marcelia Nicholson was back on the job on Thursday, July 26, but not for long.

Nicholson was arrested for driving drunk when she crashed into a freeway median Monday. She left Thursday's board meeting early, missing a vote in support of bus service to Foxconn's Mount Pleasant site.

Attorney Michael Maistelman said Nicholson had to catch a flight, showed FOX6 News Nicholson's boarding pass for proof, and said she was not going to answer questions about her arrest anyway.

Arrest of Marcelia Nicholson



Michael Maistelman



"The appropriate place would not be at the courthouse to talk about what happened in her personal life," Maistelman said.

Nicholson missed votes on 10 items. Several were procedural measures. She left the courthouse using the freight elevator, which county employees are allowed to use, a spokeswoman for the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office said.

Nicholson has only given a written statement about her arrest. In it, she promised to make no excuses for her actions.

The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office said Nicholson blew a .18 BAC, more than twice the legal limit. Nicholson told deputies early Monday morning that she had done nothing wrong.

Marcelia Nicholson



Arrest of Marcelia Nicholson



In squad car video of the arrest, Nicholson told deputies that "I'm an elected official here...I don't get into trouble."

Marcelia Nicholson



Maistelman said Nicholson was not trying to use her position to get out of the situation.

"I think she realized she was in a pickle. But she was not trying to use her job or anything like that to get anything -- and I think it's clear in the video," Maistelman said.

The county board is on recess and is not scheduled to have another meeting until September.

Maistelman said Nicholson is not going to resign. He said the county supervisor is willing to participate in an alcohol and drug program before her court proceedings to prove she's serious about avoiding another drunk driving incident.