North Slope Borough employee crashes fuel truck while allegedly drunk

State prosecutors in Utqiagvik have charged a North Slope Borough employee with allegedly crashing a fuel truck while drunk.

According to court documents filed May 13 in Utqiagvik, James Brown was driving on April 9 in Point Lay, a village on the shore of the Arctic Ocean, when he ran the fuel truck off the road in front of a home.

North Slope Borough Police Department Sgt. Neil Lynch had flown into Point Lay that morning and recognized Brown — they had been on the same plane from Utqiagvik. 

According to an affidavit signed by Lynch, James said “he had been binge drinking with his brother for the last five days … and had been drinking whiskey until 8 a.m. (that) morning, but had not brought any alcohol to the village.”

Lynch took James to the holding cells at the Point Lay Police Department, whereupon James fell asleep. 

A subsequent breath-alcohol test measured 0.197%, more than twice the state’s legal limit of 0.08%. 

James has been charged with one count of driving under the influence, a Class A Misdemeanor. No fuel spilled from the crashed truck. 

The North Slope Borough did not immediately respond to emailed questions about the incident on Friday, including whether Brown remains employed by the borough.