Superintendent drove drunk after school conference, IN cops say. ‘Ruined my... career’

When the superintendent of an Indiana school district learned he had been driving while intoxicated, he told a responding police officer his career was ruined, according to Indiana authorities and news reports.

Joel Mahaffey, the superintendent for Adams Central Community Schools, was pulled over Feb. 27 in Markle when officers saw him speeding and failing to stop at a stop sign, according to court documents obtained by WFFT.

The officer smelled alcohol on Mahaffey’s breath, but the 49-year-old man initially said he did not drink anything, WANE reported, citing the affidavit. Mahaffey later changed his story, according to court documents, telling the officer he had been drinking with a friend after leaving a school conference in Indianapolis.

He told officers he didn’t drink in excess, but officers said he had trouble balancing while taking a field sobriety test, WPTA reported. When he took a breathalyzer test, he reportedly had a blood alcohol content of 0.115, above the legal limit of 0.08.

“Oh, my God,” Mahaffey said, according to news outlets. “I have just ruined my... career.”

While being taken to the Huntington County Jail, Mahaffey continued to worry about his job, WANE reported.

Mahaffey was hired by Adams Central Community Schools in 2018, according to WPTA.

The district has not commented on if Mahaffey is facing disciplinary action. McClatchy News reached out to the district March 3 and is awaiting a response.

Mahaffey faces charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and traffic violations, court records show.

Markle is about a 100-mile drive northeast from Indianapolis.