St. Clair County Sheriff Mat King’s personal and professional life collided earlier this month when his brother and county sheriff deputy Marcus King was pulled over for drunk driving.
Marcus King, who has worked for the sheriff’s department since 2005, was pulled over after an off-duty Port Huron officer saw a car swerving near Range Road as it headed west on Lapeer Road before 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 6. He was arrested and then lodged at the Lapeer and St. Clair County Jails until he sobered up, according to Sheriff King. Marcus King was arraigned on November 14, charged with a misdemeanor for operating with a blood alcohol level of 0.17 or above.
Despite the misdemeanor, Sheriff King said on Wednesday his brother is still working in the department, citing the inability of the sheriff’s office to impose discipline before investigation and court proceedings finish, as well as the inability to punish a worker for the same offense twice.
Sheriff King has also made it clear that he has recused himself from this case and that an internal investigation was launched, with the sheriff telling the Times Herald, “”Marcus King will be treated no more favorably or no more harshly than any other employee given the same circumstances.”
At this time, Marcus King has a personal bond of $3,000, a condition of which being that he cannot possess alcohol, marijuana and/or any other forms of intoxicants, with his pre-trial being set for Monday, December 5, at 1:00 p.m. King faces up to 6 months in jail and/or a maximum fine of $700 if found guilty.
