City police arrest public works director for drunk driving

City Manager David Birchim announced to local Historic City News reporters that effective Tuesday, June 20, 2023, former utility director Todd Grant replaced Reuben Franklin as the Public Works Director. Franklin vacated the post to become one of two Assistant City Managers.

Unfortunately, less than a year later, city police Sergent Brandon Embrey observed 56-year-old Grant unlawfully driving his 2017 silver Hyundai utility vehicle at St Augustine Beach. According to Embrey, Grant was driving at a high rate of speed, paced at 50mph in a 25mph zone, and weaving in and out of his lane. Grant also ran a stop sign and made a two-lane wide turn onto SR-A1A, failing to obey a traffic control device. Embrey cited Grant for the non-criminal moving infractions that carry a $166 fine. The judge has allowed Grant until March 12th to pay.

Also summoned to the scene, city police patrolman Ezul-Deen Salifu, observed that Grant’s eyes were extremely watery and bloodshot and that Salifu could smell the strong odor of alcohol on Grant’s breath. According to patrolman Salifu, Grant’s speech was extremely slurred.

Grant told Salifu that he had four beers a few hours ago. Grant admitted to Salifu that he was drinking while watching the Super Bowl game at Jack’s BBQ and Brewery, a local bar, according to Salifu’s affidavit. Grant agreed to do a field sobriety exercise, however, Salifu observed multiple clues of intoxication. Grant was placed under arrest on probable cause that he was driving drunk. His vehicle was towed from the scene by Cheshire’s Towing, and Grant was transported to the St Johns County Jail.

Patrolman Salifu, who holds a valid Breath Test Operator Permit, obtained two samples of Grant’s breath for testing. According to the results measured by the County’s Intoxilyzer 8000 device, Grant’s alcohol levels were .171 and .177 – more than double the .080 limit. Grant remained in custody for 12 hours before posting a $500 bond.

Of interest, this is not Grant’s first run-in with the law. In St Johns County alone, as recently as December 8th, Grant paid a fine of $166 and pled no contest to charges of driving with an open container of alcohol in his vehicle. Judge Woolsey withheld adjudication, protecting Grant from cancellation of his automobile insurance among other things.

On September 13, 2021, Grant paid a fine after being charged with following too closely. On September 9, 2019, Grant was charged with operating his motor vehicle with an expired driver’s license. He paid a fine of $113 but was protected again when Judge Pycraft withheld adjudication. On August 21, 2007, Grant paid a fine of $85 for operating his motor vehicle at an unlawful speed. On November 15, 2006, he paid a fine of $140 for operating his motor vehicle with an expired tag.

Grant has been with the City of St. Augustine for over 15 years, 10 of which were spent as the Deputy Director of Public Works, and four as Utilities Director. The Public Works Department is comprised of Mobility (which includes parking enforcement and the Downtown Historic Parking Facility), Streets and Grounds, Solid Waste, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Resiliency. Grant will also be responsible for implementing the Environmental Service Group which will move forward with implementing sustainability projects and policies for the City and its residents.