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Former Rep. Allred: DWI charge 'a case of police harassment'

Former Rep. Cary Allred, R-Alamance, who was charged with DWI Tuesday night, told WFMY News 2 on Wednesday that his arrest was "a case of police harassment" and that he was pulled over "because of who I am and because I talk back to them (police)."

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Former Rep. Cary Allred's DWI mug shot
BURLINGTON, N.C. — Former Rep. Cary Allred, R-Alamance, who was charged with DWI Tuesday night, told WFMY News 2 on Wednesday that his arrest was "a case of police harassment" and that he was pulled over "because of who I am and because I talk back to them (police)."

An officer pulled over Allred's 1989 Ford Taurus at 10:08 p.m. because of "driving that was maybe indicative of some type of impairment," according to Burlington Assistant Police Chief Greg Seel.

Allred was alone in the vehicle and was stopped near the intersection of Country Club Drive and Church Street.

"I went to a restaurant. I had one beer," Allred said. "When I was going back to our house, I was pulled over by a Burlington Police officer. He took me down to the Burlington Police station and I blew into the Intoxilyzer five times, and then he decided that I was refusing to cooperate, but I did not refuse and I was not drunk."

Allred said he stood on one leg and counted to 1,016 until he developed a cramp in his leg.

"At the scene, (the police officer) made me count backwards from 63 to 51, and I did it perfectly. He made me do the alphabet starting with 'E' and ending with 'P,'" Allred said.

Seel said Allred did not do everything the officer asked him to do.

"He exercised his option not to do some of the roadside sobriety testing that the officer offered him," Seel said.

The officer arrested Allred and took him to the police station for an Intoxilyzer test, where he blew into the device four times, according to Seel. Allred said it was five and that the machine he blew into said, "Sample refused."

Allred said the officer told him, "I'm writing you up because you're refusing to cooperate."

"The officer has made the determination that he is willfully not giving a sufficient sample," Seel said.

"I did not refuse to cooperate. I did not refuse to take the breathalyzer," Allred said. "(The officer) did not tell me to blow as hard as you can."

"I didn't try to blow down the three little pigs' house," Allred added, noting that he has bronchitis. "It's a case of police harassment."

Allred said he believes the officer pulled him over "because of who I am and because I talk back to them ... I have complained about the Burlington Police several times." He said those complaints include "wasting taxpayers' money."

"I have found Burlington Police parked doing nothing behind my business. They've been found having sex behind my business," Allred said. "They've stopped me before and when I had nothing, absolutely nothing, to drink and had three police cars make me go through the sobriety test."

Allred said he questioned the actions of a Burlington police officer Monday.

"I saw a police officer in a police vehicle leaving the Target store and he was leaving the Target store after he had made a purchase, and I asked him was he on duty and why was he at the Target store while driving a police vehicle and he told me he was on his way home," Allred said.

Allred added that it was not the same officer who pulled him over Tuesday.

Seel declined to comment on the allegations against the department, but said Allred's case was processed just like any other DWI. He said the reason for the stop had nothing to do with the driver of the vehicle, instead it was how the vehicle was being operated.

A dash-camera recorded the stop, but the police department is not releasing it, based on advice from the city attorney, because the case is still pending, Seel said.

Allred was released to a "sober adult" on an unsecured bond, Seel said. He has a court date scheduled for Aug. 10.

Allred's previous citations

Allred has received several traffic violations since he resigned from office last year. In March, he pleaded guilty to driving 20 mph over in a 35 mph zone.

He also pleaded guilty in September to traveling 102 mph in a 65 mph zone on an interstate highway while driving to the General Assembly in April.

Following the September citation, Allred told WFMY News 2 he was upset because it took five days to issue the ticket and it was "political and a witch hunt."

A month later, he was cited for careless and reckless driving for going 15 miles over the posted speed limit. According to the citation, he was running off the road and crossing the center line.

Allred resigned on June 1, 2009, after weeks of accusations he inappropriately hugged a teenage page and showed up on the House floor drunk. He has denied both allegations.

The 17-year-old page said Allred's embrace was blown out of proportion. She claims Allred gave her a hug, said he was proud of her and kissed her cheek.

Allred said in March he plans to run as a write-in candidate in the November 2010 elections for Alamance County Commissioner. The former republican changed his party to unaffiliated the same week.