A special prosecutor has been appointed to handle the case of Zionsville Town Council President Elizabeth Hopper, who was arrested Sept. 25 and charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
Boone County Superior Court Judge Bruce E. Petit on Oct. 16 appointed Shelby County Prosecutor Brad Landwerlen to the case. Boone County Prosecutor Todd Meyer requested the change.
“I am familiar with Ms. Hopper and her (ex-husband), who is an attorney, and I occasionally go in front of the Zionsville Town Council for funding requests for my office,” Meyer stated in an email. “That said, I felt it was appropriate for my office to step aside in order to avoid any appearance of impropriety.”
Meyer also requested a special prosecutor in a case against Alan Wilhoite, a Lebanon farmer charged in September with criminal confinement, intimidation, pointing a firearm (unloaded) at another person and carrying a handgun without a license. Wilhoite is the husband of Marcia Wilhoite, a member of the Boone County Council.
Hopper was arrested after a Zionsville Police Dept. officer noticed her silver Subaru Crosstrek drive over a sidewalk and curb as it turned westbound on Hunt Club Road from southbound Ford Road in south Zionsville. A chemical test at ZPD showed she had a .221 blood alcohol concentration, which is more than double the legal limit.
Hopper was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person (Class A misdemeanor), operating a vehicle with an ACE of .15 or more (Class A misdemeanor), operating a vehicle while intoxicated (Class C misdemeanor) and public intoxication (Class B misdemeanor). She was released after posting bond.
Hopper has petitioned for a specialized driving permit, with a hearing on that request set for Oct. 26. Her trial is set for March 19, 2018.
