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 […]
The Morning News: Men's Basketball Collapse, Women's Basketball Hosts, Local Climate Action
Andrew Stuckey fills in for Aaron Keck reporting today's news: the UNC Men's Basketball team suffers an historic collapse in the round of 64 against VCU. Also: both Carrboro and Orange County took action on climate change during their meetings on Tuesday night; women's basketball prepares to host Western Illinois in NCAA Tournament action tonight; Hillsborough mourns the loss of former commissioner Ken Chavious, and more.
Chapel Hill: Storm Water Plan, Budget Conversations, Remembering Mae McClendon
Chapel Hill Mayor Jess Anderson spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, March 19, discussing town news and events. She recapped the most recent meeting of the Chapel Hill Town Council, which included discussion of the town's stormwater plan, early budget conversations for 2026, and more. She also discussed the life and legacy of community legend Mae McClendon, who passed away earlier this week. She also previewed upcoming town events, and more.
The Evening News: Primary Recount, Dodging Thunderstorms, NCAA Tournament Brackets
The Hill's Andrew Stuckey presents the evening news. Included in this edition of the news, we hear from County Commissioner Earl McKee on his decision to request a recount in his election loss to Beth Bronson. We discuss the weather, which resulted very little thunderstorm activity. We also get the NCAA bracket reveal, which sees the men's team with a six seed and a matchup with VCU. The women's team earned a four seed and will host Western Illinois.
Chapel Hill's South Creek Neighborhood Celebrates Construction Milestone, Announces First Business Tenant
The development team for the future South Creek neighborhood in Chapel Hill gathered on Wednesday for a ceremony recognizing a milestone in the project: the completion of the first full building structure on the site.
UNC-Founded Eats2Seats to Create Entrepreneurial 'Third Space' with New Franklin Street Headquarter'
Growing from a class project to a nationwide business, Eats2Seats recently celebrated the decision to keep its headquarters local.
The Evening News: Graig Meyer on Leaving State Senate, Hubert Davis on ACC Tournament
The Hill's Andrew Stuckey presents the afternoon news. Included in this edition, we hear from outgoing State Senator Graig Meyer on his decision to leave and the process to replace him. We hear a Carolina Connection story on UNC students who were in Milan covering the Winter Olympics. In sports, we hear from UNC Basketball Head Coach Hubert Davis ahead of their first game in this year's ACC Tournament coming up tonight, and more.
›