May 19, 2010

Former Gaithersburg assistant city manager dies

Former Gaithersburg Assistant City Manager Fred Felton has died. He was 46 years old. A family member found Felton's body in his car today, parked in the driveway of his mother's home on Central Avenue in Olde Towne Gaithersburg, according to Montgomery County police. Police were called to the house at 4:44 p.m., spokeswoman Officer Melanie Brenner said. Felton's body was in the passenger seat of his car. Felton appeared to have died of natural causes, according to a report by Detective Patrick McNerney, the investigating detective for the homicide division, Brenner said.

"[Felton] may have been there more than a day," she said.

No foul play is suspected, Brenner said. The body has been sent to the medical examiner's office in Baltimore for a complete autopsy. Felton was a city employee for 20 years and served as an assistant city manager from July 1, 1999, until his retirement on Oct. 7, 2009. He retired after a tumultuous 23 months during which he was called to question for asking police to intervene in a DUI arrest of a state delegate, hacked into his boss' computer, and was charged in September with reckless endangerment for discharging a gun in his apartment.

Felton's departure followed a career that began with a stint as summertime park observer and came to a head when City Manager Angel Jones suspended him on Sept. 23, 2009, for two weeks without pay after police obtained a warrant to arrest him. According to police charging documents, a bullet discharged from Felton's revolver tore through his apartment's living room wall on Sept. 22 and missed a neighbor by six feet. Felton, who said that he had had one drink, blew a 0.11 blood alcohol content on a breath test after the shooting, according to police.

In December, he pleaded guilty in Montgomery County District Court to firing a gun within city limits. Felton was sentenced to one year unsupervised probation in a plea agreement that required that he participate in an alcohol and drug treatment program. Felton agreed to forfeit five weapons, including the handgun that discharged Sept. 22. Felton was in outpatient treatment at White Flint Recovery Treatment Inc. in Rockville, his attorney, Reginald Bours of Rockville, said in December. SOURCE: Gazette

2 comments:

xyzseira said...

Drunk-drowned people should refer alcoholism treatment to experts and people-in-concern as prompt as they could. Aside from seeking medical attention, these people should be refreshed of the effects of alcohol to themselves and to the people around them.

Daniel Vovak said...

Interesting point.