As one of the largest landholders in King County, the Port of Seattle is a corporate juggernaut with an impressive array of facilities on its resume: Sea-Tac airport, World Trade Center Seattle, and multiple marinas, terminals, and conference centers. The Puget Sound enterprise employs thousands of Washingtonians, while facilitating travel, recreation, and business endeavors in the Seattle area.

Former Port of Seattle CEO Ted Fick resigned from his post after he was arraigned on DUI charges in 2016. At the time of arraignment, he entered a not guilty plea. The incident for which he was cited took place on April 13. Fick was clocked driving at 79 miles per hour driving eastbound on the Highway 520 bridge toward his Bellevue home. His BAC content was determined two hours after the stop, sitting at .08, exactly the illegal limit.

At the time of arraignment Port of Seattle did not comment on Fick's arrest or employment status with the company, however it was understood he still operated as one of their top execs. In a release Fick stated, “I regret the embarrassment and inconvenience this has caused the port and my family. I do not condone impaired driving in any way, shape or form. I will work closely with the justice system to ensure a swift resolution to this matter." Fick's attorney declined to comment on the case in any detail.

Fick held the position at Port of Seattle for two and a half years before being placed on paid leave in January of this year because of "personnel issues." It is yet unclear if the placement on paid leave and subsequent resignation were related to the DUI. In an email to port commissioners obtained by the Seattle Times, Fick wrote, “My strategy is for my attorney to negotiate a lower infraction on the DUI matter and not go to trial.” His resignation came in February. This week, Fick received a plea deal in the DUI case, in which his charges were reduced to reckless driving.

Resigning from such a prestigious post is a deeply unfortunate circumstance, indicating the potential gravity of a DUI even if it does not become a conviction. Nevertheless, moving forward in the future, it is decidedly better to have a reduced charge like reckless driving on your record than a DUI. This is why anyone charged with drunk driving should seek out skilled legal counsel to review and defend their charges. Seattle DUI attorney Steve Karimi is prepared to explore every legal avenue to build you a durable defense. Contact him today for a free consultation.