Aurora City Councilwoman Nicole Johnston was sentenced for driving while ability impaired after she was cited in September by a Colorado State Patrol trooper, court records show.
Arapahoe County Judge Anne Marie Ollada ordered the councilwoman to pay $1,182 in fines and fees on the misdemeanor offense. Johnston also must serve 24 hours of public service. If Johnston complies with the conditions of the deferred judgment, the case will be dismissed.
The trooper cited Johnston on Sept. 7, according to Arapahoe County District Court records.
Johnston told The Denver Post that she made a public statement about the incident Monday during the Aurora City Council’s study session, saying she was headed to her home in East Aurora after a dinner at which she had a couple of glasses of wine, “over the course of several hours,” when her car got stuck in mud on Gun Club Road in unincorporated Arapahoe County. Johnston told the trooper that she had been drinking, and when she took a breath test, it registered a .05 percent blood alcohol level, Johnston said.
“I take this very seriously and I would like to remind people with the upcoming holiday to make sure that they are safe. Even a glass or two of wine isn’t a good idea,” Johnston said in an interview.
Johnston, who was elected in 2017, is a member of the city’s public safety, courts and civil service policy committees.
Updated 9 a.m. Feb. 26, 2025: This story has been updated to clarify details surrounding the DWAI citation.
