OLIVE HILL, KY (WLEX) - The people living in one Carter County community say they are stunned
after the mayor was arrested Wednesday, charged with selling drugs.
Danny Sparks, the mayor of Olive Hill is charged with trafficking
marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school. According to police, Sparks
sold less than eight ounces of Marijuana to a college-aged man in his
truck Wednesday evening in a parking lot along Highway 60. It all played
out just a street over from Olive Hill Elementary.
"Out of all people, Danny? I'm just shocked," said Sparks' neighbor, Robert Davidson. "I was just dumb-founded."
Other residents of Olive Hill agree, "It just surprised me. I didn't
think that he would do something like that," said Ramona Crank.
"It just looked bad on our town," said another resident, Stephanie Ball.
Sparks was released from the Carter County Detention Center shortly
after his arrest. LEX 18 went to his house to ask for his comment on the
case, but he declined to talk.
In a resignation letter printed in the Grayson Journal-Times, Sparks
wrote: "Due to a very bad mistake that I have made tonight, and have
failed the trust of the good people of Olive Hill, my friends and most
of all, my family, I have decided with deep regret to resign tonight as
mayor."
The statement goes on to say: "what happened tonight is something I have never done before."
Olive Hill's Chief Of Police said the city council has to accept the
resignation. Until then, Sparks is still the mayor, as he has been since
2002.
"If he's gonna be like that, we shouldn't have somebody like that running the city," said Davidson.
Police said Sparks was also charged with having an open beer in his vehicle.
Sparks is set to appear in court for arraignment on the morning of December 10.
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Danny Sparks (Source: WLEX)
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