Mass. bishop asks forgiveness after drunk driving charge dropped

Worcester, Mass., Jun 5, 2013 / 15:05 pm

Bishop Robert J. McManus of Worcester, Mass., has again apologized following an agreement with a Rhode Island court to dismiss a drunk driving charge against him.

"I have been committed to making amends and accepting the consequences of my actions. I am grateful that the legal process has been concluded," Bishop McManus said June 4. "I continue to ask forgiveness from all the good people I serve, as well as my family and friends in the Diocese of Worcester and the Diocese of Providence."

On May 4, the 61-year-old bishop was arrested in Narragansett, R.I., after his car collided with another vehicle and he drove from the scene. The other driver followed the bishop to his nearby summer home and called police.

The arresting officer said Bishop McManus was not sure whether he had hit another vehicle. The bishop allegedly failed three different sobriety tests and was cited for refusing to take a chemical breath test, the Boston Globe says. The bishop told the officer he had had two drinks at dinner three and a half hours before his arrest.

On May 14, Bishop McManus pled guilty to a charge of refusing a chemical test. He will lose his driver's license for six months. The bishop paid about $900 in fines and court costs. He must also complete 10 hours of community service and participate in alcohol education programs, the Worcester Telegram and Gazette reports.

A district court on June 4 dismissed charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and leaving the scene of an accident.

Bishop McManus said in a statement that he has been "grateful for and humbled by the support I have received from clergy, parishioners and the community as I continue to serve to the best of my ability as the Bishop of Worcester."