Former Chapel Hill Town Council member Lee Storrow was given a 60-day suspended sentence following his guilty plea to driving while impaired.

Judge Jay Bryan issued the sentencing on Tuesday morning, ordering Storrow to turn over his driver’s license, perform 24 hours of community service and pay a fine and court costs.

Bryan issued a Level 5 sentence, the least severe among DWI charges in North Carolina.

Storrow said in court that he had completed more than 30 hours of an alcohol-support program at UNC, and that he intended to continue participating in the program.

Storrow was pulled over, early in the morning of August 26, when his 2012 Toyota Prius was clocked going 63 in a 35 mile per hour zone near Municipal Drive on Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard, according to Chapel Hill Police.

Storrow willfully submitted a sample of his breath for chemical analysis, according to records. The test showed Storrow’s blood-alcohol content was a .16, twice the legal limit to drive in North Carolina.

Storrow entered a guilty plea to the DWI charge in early September. As part of the agreement for Storrow’s guilty plea, the state agreed to drop the speeding charge, which prosecutors say is standard procedure in a case like this.

Storrow served on the Town Council from 2011 through this year. Several local elected officials were in attendance at the court hearing to support Storrow.

Bryan thanked Storrow for his service during the sentencing and said that he hopes Storrow will consider serving the community, once again, in some capacity.

“The last thing I would say Mr. Storrow is that I hope you will continue, when you’re ready, to serve in whatever capacity you find to be stimulating and worthwhile,” Bryan said, “because I think you have that experience to be able to continue to do that.”

Storrow was one of three incumbents who lost re-election bids in Chapel Hill in November.

Related Stories
‹
Chapel Hill Resident Charged With Felony Assault Against Former Spouse
A local man in Chapel Hill is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly breaking into the home of his former spouse and committing a series of violent crimes. According to Capt. Joshua Mecimore of the Chapel Hill Police Department, the incident occurred last Friday when Zaw Zaw broke a restraining order filed against him. “Mr. […]
Chandler Kania Trial Continuing in Fatal Wrong-Way Crash
Chandler Kania stood before a judge in a Hillsborough courtroom on Monday and entered several guilty pleas, but that was not the end of the road in this case. Kania, the former UNC student, admitted to driving the wrong-way on I-85 near the I-40 split last summer for approximately six miles before crashing head-on into […]
Chandler Kania Defense Motion to Suppress Cell Phone Evidence Denied
The evidence seized from Chandler Kania’s cell phone following the wrong-way crash that left three people dead last summer will be allowed into the upcoming trial. Superior Court Judge Allen Baddour issued that decision late Tuesday. Kania’s defense attorneys had argued the search warrant seizing the phone was illegally served twice, but the judge disagreed. […]
Chapel Hill Town Council Member Pleads Guilty to DWI
Chapel Hill Town Council member Lee Storrow entered a guilty plea on a DWI charge in Orange County Court on Thursday morning. Storrow was arrested last Wednesday, August 26, around 1:20 in the morning, after his 2012 Toyota Prius was clocked going 63 in a 35 mile per hour zone on Martin Luther King Junior […]
Chapel Hill: Budget Passes, End of School Year, Upcoming Events
Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill’s Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, June, 12, discussing town news and events. She talked about the passage of the town's budget the night before, discussions around everywhere to everywhere greenways, downtown development, and more. She talked about the end of the school year in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, previewed some upcoming events, and more.
'Professionals Behind the Wheel': Chapel Hill Transit Competition Challenges and Celebrates Its Operators
Chapel Hill Transit held its annual roadeo competition this past weekend, where operators showed off their skills in a timed obstacle course.
Photo Gallery: Chapel Hill Transit Roadeo 2026 Competition
The Chapel Hill Transit system held its annual Roadeo competition among its bus operators to see who could best navigate an obstacle course.
Local Government Meetings: June 8-12, 2026
This week in local government: final budget votes in Hillsborough, Pittsboro, Chapel Hill, and Durham County.
Photo Gallery: 2026 Chapel Hill Pride Promenade
On Saturday, June 6, hundreds of Chapel Hill residents and members of the community gathered to celebrate Pride Month. Here are photos.
Pair of W. Franklin Street Restaurants Permanently Shutter in May
The Central American restaurant The Latin Effect closed on May 28, while Rams Corner closed to Franklin Street customers earlier in the month.
›