Gov. Kemp extends Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch's suspension after 2nd arrest
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has extended the suspension of the Hall County sheriff after he was arrested last week.
Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch has been suspended since March following his arrest on a DUI charge. That suspension was set to end this week, but Kemp's executive order will extend it until June.
In late February, one of Couch's deputies stopped an unmarked vehicle the 63-year-old was driving for failing to maintain his lane. After realizing the driver was the sheriff, the deputy requested that the Georgia State Patrol conduct a DUI investigation.
According to an incident report obtained by CBS News Atlanta, Couch's blood alcohol content was 0.212%, nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08%.
Couch reportedly told officers that he had drunk multiple Four Lokos that morning and that he had "screwed up." He was charged with driving under the influence, failure to maintain lane, and possession of an open container of alcohol.
The suspended sheriff was then pulled over on Georgia 400 in Dawson County on May 4. He was arrested and cited for driving outside the conditions of his limited permit and failure to maintain lane.
While Couch remains suspended, the Hall County Sheriff's Office said that Chief Deputy Kevin Head has assumed command of the agency.
Portions of this story came from previous CBS News Atlanta reporting.