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A Georgia judge was arrested after allegedly driving drunk and backing his Mercedes-Benz into a pickup truck in the parking lot of a Florida strip club.
Superior Court Judge Robert Guy Jr., 48, president of Georgia's Council of Superior Court Judges, allegedly backed his Mercedes-Benz into a Ford F-150 in the parking lot of Wacko’s Gentlemen’s Club in Jacksonville.
Authorities say the incident occurred around 3 a.m. on Tuesday.
Witnesses told police that after the crash, Guy exited his car and briefly spoke with the truck driver before attempting to leave the scene.
The club's parking valet also told deputies that the driver appeared 'highly intoxicated' and that he had to be guided back into a parking space.
Following the crash, the valet and another patron escorted him back inside the club, where staff took away his keys and cellphone and 'kept a watchful eye on him' until officers arrived, according to an arrest report obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The driver of the Ford F-150 told investigators that when he tried to exchange insurance information, the judge refused and instead offered $500 in cash to 'settle the damages' privately.
When deputies confronted him, officers wrote that Guy smelled strongly of alcohol, slurred his speech, and appeared confused.
He repeatedly said he didn't have his keys and told authorities he couldn't remember whether he had been driving when the crash occurred.
Guy - who presides over the five-county Brunswick Judicial Circuit - was arrested at the scene and charged with driving under the influence and DUI-property damage, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
He later refused to submit to a breathalyzer test, resulting in an additional charge, records show.
Guy was booked into the Jacksonville jail and released hours later after posting a $3,000 bond. The sheriff's office declined to release his booking photo, citing his status as an active judge.
Guy has already self-reported his arrest to Georgia's Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC), which oversees judicial conduct in the state.
JQC Director Courtney Veal has since confirmed that an investigation is underway.
'It arose out of a minor fender-bender in the parking lot there, and we're hopeful that we'll be able to resolve the matter,' Guy's attorney, Lester Tate, said in a statement to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Tate added that Guy has retained a Florida lawyer to handle the criminal proceedings.
Guy, a native of Camden County near the Florida border, was first elected to the bench in 2016 and took office the following year, The Independent reported.
In his current role, he represents Georgia's judges during the state's legislative sessions and serves on the Judicial Council of Georgia.