CENTREVILLE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The St. Joseph County Commission is getting set to write a letter to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, asking her to remove County Sheriff Mark Lillywhite from his position as County Sheriff. This comes six months after Lillywhite caused a crash while driving drunk, according to the Three Rivers Commercial-News.
Commissioners voted 6 to 1 at their Tuesday, August 15 meeting to draft the letter to be sent in the next few weeks. Since Lillywhite is an elected official, the board does not have the power to simply fire him.
Lillywhite rear-ended another car on US-131 south of Schoolcraft in February, causing it to roll. Investigation into the crash revealed that Lillywhite was going around 100 mph just before the crash happened and that his blood alcohol content was .25, more than three times the state’s legal limit of .08.
Undersheriff Jason Bingaman has been serving as the face of the department since the crash.
Lillywhite’s term currently runs through 2025.
