Arizona sheriff cited for operating boat while under influence

PRESCOTT, Ariz. (AP) — Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes said he was cited for operating a boat while under the influence of alcohol at Lake Powell.

The first-term sheriff said in a statement Thursday that he deeply regrets his actions and believes elected officials should be accountable to the people they represent.

Rhodes was drinking while boating with his family at the lake on the Arizona-Utah border on Saturday. Someone else was operating the boat.

Later in the day, friends in another boat had trouble docking and Rhodes said he agreed to help. In the process, he said he clipped another boat.

Rhodes said he never should have operated a boat while intoxicated and has learned from his mistake.

“If you think it’s OK, even for a brief moment, it’s not,” he said.

Authorities from Glen Canyon National Recreation Area issued the sheriff a citation for the misdemeanor offense, noting Rhodes’ blood alcohol content was at least .08%. Those citations are handled through the federal court system.

A spokeswoman for the recreation area said Friday that she was not immediately available to respond to The Associated Press’ request for more information.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is handling the investigation into the damage to the boat, which Rhodes characterized as minor.

Coconino County sheriff’s spokesman Jon Paxton said Friday that he wasn’t sure about the extent of the damage. A report on the incident isn’t complete.