Jury has Parchment AD 'superdrunk' case

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) - The fate of the one-time athletic director at Parchment schools is in the hands of the jury after a one-day trial on charges he was drunk and led police on a high-speed chase.

John Thompson admits to driving drunk and was "super drunk" -- the designation for being more than three times the legal limit of .08 -- but said he didn't know he was being chased by police.

In testimony Tuesday, Richland Police Officer Bradley Wadell said Thompson's black Cadillac sped past him in the early hours of April 4.

The jury saw the video of that chase that reached speeds of 125 mph and ended with a gun in Thompson's face -- another detail Thompson said he doesn't recall.

Earlier, Thompson said he was at a bar with Parchment Superintendent Matt Miller. Miller took the witness stand Tuesday on Thompson's behalf, and said he couldn't recall what time Thompson left him at the bar or even seeing Thompson intoxicated.

Thompson remains on unpaid leave from the school district.