GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – In the early hours of Saturday, October 3^rd, Gridley’s City Administrator and Finance Director, Paul Eckert, was arrested by California Highway Patrol.

Officer Draper at Oroville CHP shares that the arresting officer stopped Eckert shortly after midnight due to a mechanical violation – no taillights during the hours of darkness. Subsequently, Eckert was arrested under suspicion of DUI and booked into Butte County Jail at approximately 2:38 am under the charge of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or California vehicle code 23152 (f). This charge, 23152 section f, includes both street and/or prescription drugs under its definition of “driving under the influence”.

According to Officer Draper, the results of a toxicology report that will either confirm or clear Eckert of said charge, will be provided to the legal team processing the charges once it is completed. At this point the court system has taken over and will decide the outcome.

In addition to the DUI charge, Eckert has been the subject of a Gridley Police Department investigation. Holding with GPD policy on active investigations, information is not released until the investigation comes to completion. The following is a statement provided to the Gridley Herald by Police Chief Rodney Harr:

“On September 25^th, 2020 at approximately 1600 hours, the Gridley Police handled a call for service, reporting two female juveniles were contacted by a male alleging he had taken photos and asked inappropriate questions. During the course of the investigation the male involved was identified as Paul Eckert. An extensive investigation was conducted with all involved parties.

Upon completion of the investigation, it was determined Paul Eckert had not committed any criminal violations, nor any violation of misconduct.”