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Monroe Co. commissioner pleads guilty to failing to report an accident

He could face 90 days in jail

MONROE, Michigan — A Monroe County commissioner faces jail time after he pleaded guilty to failing to report an accident.

When asked by Monroe County First District Judge William Nichols why he was pleading guilty, Gregory Michael Moore Jr. responded: "I failed to immediately report an accident that happened at 4 a.m."

Moore will be sentenced on June 26. He faces up to 90 days in jail.

In February, Moore was driving on Temperance Road when he went around multiple road closed signs before hitting a tree lying across the road and then hitting another tree, according to a Monroe County Sheriff's Department report.

Instead of calling 911, the report states Moore called his wife to pick him up and called a tow truck the following morning, saying he was too embarrassed to call 911 because he sits on the 911 board.

READ MORE: 11 Investigates: Monroe Co. commissioner's traffic record draws scrutiny by fellow board members

In April, 11 Investigates reported that Moore has made multiple appearances in court over the years because of driving violations.

More than 30 traffic violations are listed in court records against Moore, with at least 18 of those being speeding tickets. 

Body camera footage from the sheriff's department and 911 recordings show that rescuers were initially perplexed why someone would just leave their truck in the middle of the road and also how they were able to walk away from the accident. The impact with two sets of trees was so violent that the windshield was shattered, leaving one rescuer to comment that he was shocked that an airbag did not deploy.

Shortly after the Feb. 13 incident, Moore posted a Facebook video, saying he had a rebellious period, filled with speeding and drinking, between the ages of 16 to 23. He did not deny that in a short interview with 11 Investigates after an April commissioners' meeting. But his current driving record, which includes nine speeding tickets and now the failure to report an accident misdemeanor, was established long after when the 37-year-old Moore was in his “rebellious” period. 

Moore had no comment after Monday's court hearing.

The Republican commissioner is the vice chairman of the Monroe County board. At a March meeting, fellow Commissioner Gary Wilmoth made a motion to begin the process of removing Moore from the board, and the motion was seconded by David Hoffman. However, only Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer can remove an elected commissioner.

Moore, however, can be stripped of his leadership role, and Wilmoth told 11 Investigates on Monday that he plans to discuss the possibility with his fellow commissioners. There is a board meeting on Tuesday night, but no action is expected to be taken at this meeting.

"My opinion is that politicians have to be held to a higher standard than those who vote them into office," Wilmoth said on Monday. "He ought to make it easy on the whole county and resign his leadership position."

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