Former sheriff Abril arrested on DWI charges; could face probation violation

Published 3:30 pm Wednesday, October 7, 2009

All charges were a result of a traffic stop at South Trade Street near Pierce&squo;s Tire in Tryon, according to sheriff&squo;s office reports. Abril failied roadside breathalizers, but refused the breathalizer once transported to the sheriff&squo;s office, according to Capt. Chadd Murray with the sheriff&squo;s office. A magistrate found probable cause for all charges and released Abril into the custody of his brother, according to the sheriff&squo;s office. Abril will lose his driver&squo;s license for 30 days for the DWI charge. Abril resigned as Polk County Sheriff last November, just one day prior to pleading guilty to two felony charges of solicitation to take indecent liberties with a minor from incidents that occurred about 20 years ago in Polk County with two girls who were ages 10 and 11 at the time. Abril was sentenced to two years in prison, which was suspended with a four-month house arrest and supervised probation for three years and another two years of unsupervised probation. Judge Zorro Guice, Jr., who sentenced Abril in Haywood County Court last year put conditions on Abril&squo;s supervised probation including drug and alcohol testing. Abril completed his house arrest earlier this year and will be on supervised probation until November, 2011. Because of his supervised probation status, if Abril is convicted of the DWI charges, he could be found guilty of a probation violation. If so, he could be sentenced to prison to serve his two-year sentence on the earlier charges. No court date was available yet for Abril

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