Document text
Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Advertisement Email Story to a Friend October 4, 2005 Official won’t face charges in drug incident By SARAH LEMON Mail Tribune A Jackson County deputy district attorney has been disciplined but will face no criminal charges after falling under suspicion last month of driving under the influence of a prescription drug. A criminal case against Matt Chancellor would be impossible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt, according to a statement released Monday by Klamath County District Attorney Edwin Caleb. To avoid a potential conflict of interest, Caleb handled the case at the request of Jackson County District Attorney Mark Huddleston. Suspended since Sept. 15, Chancellor will return to work within a week, Huddleston said. Chancellor’s initial period of administrative leave was "converted" to discipline, Huddleston said, declining to comment further. Chancellor admitted to taking the prescription medication Xanax the night of Sept. 7, shortly before being called to the scene of a Medford traffic stop that resulted in the arrest of a suspected bank robber. The Oregon State Police crime lab found the drug in Chancellor’s urine, but could not determine the quantity, Caleb said. Forensic scientists also could not establish when the drug would have an adverse effect on the user, Caleb said. Xanax is used to relieve anxiety and nervous tension. Normal use of the drug can cause drowsiness, dizziness and clumsiness, and caution should be used when driving, according to Pfizer, the drug’s manufacturer. Overdose symptoms can include the appearance of drunkenness (impaired coordination, memory impairment, cognitive disorder). Advertisement No alcohol was found in Chancellor’s system, and the Medford Police Department included no accounts in its report from witnesses who saw Chancellor driving, Caleb said. Chancellor came to the scene to give officers legal advice, Caleb added. "Basically, the issue boils down to nobody’s seen him drive." Noting that Chancellor was acting strangely after arriving at the traffic stop at Central Avenue and 13th Street, officers subjected him to field-sobriety tests. They cited him for driving under the influence of intoxicants — a misdemeanor crime — and drove him home, said Medford police Lt. Mike Moran. "There was more than sufficient probable cause to take the enforcement action that we did," Moran said. Caleb agreed that Medford police acted appropriately. Officers more and more are seeing drivers impaired by prescription drugs, Moran said. Huddleston initially said an internal investigation would determine whether Chancellor violated any policy. But the District Attorney on Monday refused to discuss possible policy violations. Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail Official won�t face charges in drug incident ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers Southern Oregon Loans California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy Advertisement s