A top adviser to Gov. John Hickenlooper was arrested late Wednesday in Denver on suspicion of drunken driving.
Maximillian “Max” Potter, 43, was stopped at 10:47 p.m. for driving without headlights on East 14th Avenue near the Congress Park neighborhood, according to a police report.
Denver police Officer David Trujillo reported Potter’s speech was slurred, that he was staggering, that he had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath and bloodshot eyes. Potter refused roadside tests and a blood-alcohol test.
Authorities charged Potter with three counts: driving under the influence, failure to display proof of insurance and failure to display headlamps.
“I am deeply embarrassed by this serious matter and I want to sincerely apologize to the governor, my colleagues and — most importantly — my family for letting them down,” Potter said in a statement released through the governor’s office. “I take full responsibility for my actions and will work to restore the trust that they have placed in me.”
The arrest was .
Potter, and former magazine writer , is the Democratic governor’s chief media adviser and speech writer.
A Hickenlooper spokeswoman said the governor and his chief of staff spoke Thursday to Potter.
“We take this seriously and know Max will as well,” spokeswoman Kathy Green said in a statement. “This happened outside the scope of his employment and now will be handled by the judicial process.”
Potter did not immediately respond to a request for comment and he was absent from the office Thursday.
