Bainbridge Island School Board member Tawresey charged with DUI, hit and run

John G. Tawresey, a member of the Bainbridge Island School Board, was arrested Wednesday evening for alleged hit-and-run and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Tawresey, 67, of Gowen Place on Bainbridge Island, hit at least one vehicle outside the San Carlos restaurant on Madison Avenue, police said. Witnesses said he tried to drive away, but bystanders prevented him from doing so by standing in front of his vehicle as they called 911.

“About 8:30 (Wednesday) night we got a call on a hit-and-run accident with the causing driver trying to leave the scene,” said Lt. Bob Day of the Bainbridge Island Police Department. “We got there, we investigated, and ultimately concluded that (Tawresey) had been drinking. He was taken into custody for DUI.”

Police gave a sobriety test to determine if Tawresey was able to operate his vehicle, but he refused to take a breath test at the scene and refused another at the police station, police said.

After posting $5,000 bail, Tawresey appeared in Bainbridge Island Municipal Court Thursday morning and entered pleas of not guilty to DUI and hit-and-run charges. Court date was for May 3.

Tawresey was ordered by the court to not operate any vehicle unless it is equipped with an “ignition interlock” device.

Tawresey was elected to the School Board in 2007. He also teaches civil and environmental engineering courses as an affiliate professor at the University of Washington and is the vice president of the Seattle firm KPFF Consulting Engineers.

Contact Bainbridge Island Review Staff Writer Richard D. Oxley at roxley@bainbridgereview.com or (206) 842-6613.

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