An Arizona county drone pilot faces felony DUI and child abuse charges after troopers allegedly stopped him with his young son in a county vehicle, authorities said.
Bo Hounshell works as a drone pilot for the Apache County Public Works Department, according to county information.
Troopers reportedly stopped the county employee shortly before 11 p.m. after he left the county fair, authorities said.
Hounshell was allegedly driving under the influence during the late-night stop, authorities alleged.
His 8-year-old son was riding in the back seat of the vehicle at the time of the stop, officials said.
The vehicle the suspect was allegedly driving belonged to Apache County, according to records.
The roadside stop resulted in two felony counts against the county worker, court documents state.
Authorities charged Hounshell with one count of felony DUI and one count of child abuse, according to court documents.
The arrest has drawn heightened scrutiny across Apache County, records show. Nearly every aspect of the criminal matter connects back to the local county government, according to reports.
The drone pilot’s prominent family connections have added another layer of attention to the criminal proceeding, according to records.
His father is Brian Hounshell, the former Apache County sheriff, public records show.
The elder Hounshell was previously convicted of felony theft in a corruption case, records show. He currently works as the Director of Emergency Management for Apache County, according to public records.
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The defendant’s mother also holds an elected administrative position in the county court system, records show.
Annell Hounshell serves as the Apache County Clerk of Superior Court, according to public records.
The formal criminal complaint filed against her son bears the official stamp of the clerk’s office she oversees, court records show.
The filing stamp does not indicate the clerk personally processed the paperwork or participated in her son’s case, records show. The overlapping governmental relationships have nonetheless brought scrutiny to how the matter will be handled, according to reports.
The case leaves the accused worker connected to multiple branches of the county administration, records show.
The defendant is employed by the public works department, while his father directs the county emergency management office, records show.
His mother oversees the office maintaining the court records, and the vehicle he was allegedly operating belongs to the county, officials said.
The suspect is accused of operating a county-owned vehicle while impaired, authorities said. County officials have not yet confirmed whether Hounshell has been placed on administrative leave, according to reports.
Officials also had not confirmed whether the county opened an internal investigation into the vehicle’s use, according to reports.
The family ties do not establish that anyone will receive preferential treatment during the prosecution, according to records.
Those relationships also do not prove that an actual legal conflict of interest exists, records indicate. Whether recusal, reassignment or another jurisdiction is legally required will depend on the roles particular officials play in the proceedings, according to reports.
Hounshell has been formally charged following the stop, court documents show. He has not been convicted of any crime, records state.
The felony DUI and child abuse allegations against the drone pilot remain undecided accusations that must be proven in court.
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