January 6, 2015

A Haywood County Commissioner will spend 48 hours in the county jail, the result of a conviction on charges of DUI.

James Morgan entered a guilty plea in Haywood County General Sessions Court Tuesday. He was sentenced to 11 months and 29 days with all of the time suspended except for 48 hours. He was also fined and placed on supervised probation for a year.

Morgan was elected to the county commission last August, but served previous terms on the commission.

Brownsville Police charged Morgan on Labor Day 2014 after a traffic stop. He was also charged with possession of a firearm. Police seized a handgun. The firearm charges were dropped.

Haywood County Attorney Michael Banks says the DUI conviction does not put Morgan’s position as a county commissioner in legal jeopardy.

Morgan is to report to serve his jail time January 16.