In a surprise 4-1 vote, Keith Mabe was removed from his chairman’s seat on the Rockingham County Board of Commissioners. Fellow Commissioner Mark Richardson will take the chairman’s seat in Mabe’s place. Mabe cast the lone ‘no’ vote, and Commissioner Zane Cardwell cast his vote via webcam from his bed in Moses Cone Hospital.
Mabe has been under fire since his DWI arrest in December, but was determined to remain as board chair. But last week a grand jury granted permission for the Rockingham County district attorney to look into filing additional charges for controlled substances he believes Mabe used at the time of his arrest.
According to the N&R, Mabe’s blood-alcohol content was 0.19 percent at the time of his arrest. Mabe claimed he taking paregoric –his late aunt’s old prescription –to treat back pain.
