Former Prestonsburg Mayor Jerry Fannin, 69, arrested for Food City sidewalk DUI, allegedly handed police health insurance card

A former Kentucky mayor was arrested on a DUI charge after allegedly swerving his car and driving onto a grocery store sidewalk, police said.

Jerry Fannin, 69, served as the mayor of Prestonsburg for roughly two decades before leaving office in 2014.

Prestonsburg Police were called to the scene shortly after 11 a.m. Monday, according to the department.

A witness had followed the vehicle as it swerved along University Drive before turning into a Food City parking lot, police said.

The car then drove onto the sidewalk, according to police.

A detective eventually located Fannin sitting behind the wheel of his Mazda in the grocery store’s fire lane, police said. The vehicle was still running at the time, according to police.

Fannin appeared confused and had slurred speech, according to police.

The former mayor also struggled with his balance, police said. Fannin struggled to complete multiple field sobriety tests, according to authorities.

An officer asked Fannin for proof of vehicle insurance, according to police.

The former mayor allegedly handed the officer his health insurance card instead of car insurance, police said.

Police discovered that the Mazda was unregistered, according to authorities. The car’s vehicle insurance had reportedly been canceled earlier that month, police said.

Fannin was arrested and taken to a hospital, police said.

He agreed to take a blood test at the hospital after speaking with his attorney, according to police.

The former mayor faces a first-offense DUI charge as well as multiple registration and insurance-related offenses, police said.

Fannin was later released from custody on his own recognizance, according to local reporting.

He is scheduled to appear in court for arraignment October 16, according to local reporting.