SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, May 5, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Salt Lake City Councilwoman Amy Fowler was arrested Wednesday after police say she was involved in a hit-and-run crash while driving under the influence of alcohol.
Fowler, 44, was arrested by the Utah Highway Patrol in Springville in connection with a hit-and-run crash in the Salt Lake area, according to a probable cause statement filed in Springville Justice Court.
Fowler failed field sobriety tests and later consented to a breath test, which indicated a blood alcohol level of 0.11 — more than twice Utah’s 0.05 limit, according to UHP.
Fowler was sitting in her vehicle with the engine running when deputies arrived, the affidavit states.
“I could smell an odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the driver’s face and breath. Her eyes were red and bloodshot and she was very emotional,” the arresting deputy writes.
Fowler told UHP her vehicle had been hit by another vehicle, “but she did not stop because she did not think they stopped,” according to the statement.
Fowler also had “diminished fine motor skills” and “could not use her fingertips” to provide documents to the deputy, instead using “her whole hand to retrieve papers and hand them over,” the statement continues.
Fowler denied using alcohol when questioned by the deputy and initially refused to perform field sobriety tests, according to UHP. She later participated in the tests but failed them, the affidavit states.
Fowler was booked into the Utah County jail, with bail set at $1,000, court documents state.
The Salt Lake City Council said it is aware of Fowler’s “traffic incident” in a statement Friday.
“The Salt Lake City Council is aware of a traffic incident involving Council Member Amy Fowler in Salt Lake County on May 3. This matter will be addressed outside of Salt Lake City’s jurisdiction, and we are committed to remaining transparent as more pertinent information is made available,” the statement reads.
Fowler has represented Salt Lake City Council District 7 since January 2018. She did not respond to a request for comment.
Gephardt Daily will update this story as more information becomes available.
