Creedmoor — Creedmoor Mayor Antwane Downey was stripped of his power on Tuesday by the Creedmoor Board of Commissioners nearly two months after he was charged with DWI, his fifth in seven years.
In a 5-0 vote, the board agreed to strip Downey of all privileges outside of those prescribed by state law, including representing or speaking on behalf of the city, use of city e-mail, business cards, and access to City Hall outside of meetings or appointments.
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Downey made a request to address the commissioners last week by calling City Manager Mike Turner, according to an agenda for Tuesday night’s meeting.
"As your Mayor, I hold the position of trust, I recognize that the situation has impacted that trust and for that I am sincerely sorry," Downey said during the meeting.
The Creedmoor Board of Commissioners was scheduled to discuss revoking Downey’s duties and authority. The agenda item says the board asked the city attorney to investigate what powers could be delegated.
Downey’s latest DWI charge comes after he crashed his Volvo SUV into a tree on Feb. 16. Downey hit a ditch and a tree on U.S. 15 near State Road in Creedmoor.
WRAL News found Downey has been convicted of DWI four times, the latest in 2019. Downey was required to get a substance abuse assessment and possible monitoring or treatment as part of those convictions.
"I’m not here to make excuses, I’m here to take responsibility, I’m here to take responsibility for how I move forward," Downey said.
In addition to his work as mayor, Downey works at the First Baptist Church Academy in Creedmoor as an after-school program driver. He was put on administrative leave.
Downey has a decades-long history of criminal convictions, including reckless driving, driving with an open container and driving while his license is revoked.
