School Board President resigns after DWI arrest
ROBBINSVILLE » A rocky week for Robbinsville’s school board president has led to his resignation.
Matthew O’Grady resigned from his elected position on Thursday morning following media reports this week of his DWI arrest in Hightstown on Sunday night in a school zone.
O’Grady, 45, of Robbinsville, was arrested following a motor vehicle stop on South Main Street at approximately 8:30 p.m. for driving his truck “under the influence of an intoxicant,” police said.
O’Grady was initially pulled over for motor vehicle infractions and was found to be drunk driving in the school zones of both Peddie School and Hightstown High School, according to police.
The Trentonian reported Thursday that O’Grady attempted to make one last desperate plea as he was handcuffed in the back seat of the police car.
“Is there nothing that we can work out here?” O’Grady asks the Hightstown cop after he was placed under arrest on Sunday for drunk driving, according to a copy of the police dash cam video obtained by The Trentonian through a public records request.
The Hightstown officer instantly shoots down the Robbinsville school board president’s proposal.
“No, as of right now, nah,” the cop says in the video, who was apparently conducting his first traffic stop ever. “Not until everything’s done and you’re released.”
Wearing a polo shirt and shorts, O’Grady was given a field sobriety test, the video shows.
As he exited his vehicle, O’Grady tied both of his shoes before participating in the mental and physical challenges to test his sobriety, which included walking and talking.
With another officer assisting, O’Grady struggled to continually count up “one one-thousand, two one-thousand ...” before he stalled at four.
“You can continue sir,” the officer urges him, indicating he goes until the officer says to stop.
The second time around, O’Grady falters at nine.
Hearing enough, the officer placed O’Grady under arrest.
He was charged with failure to stop, reckless driving, DWI, DWI in a school zone, and refusal to submit breath samples.
The school board president lists that he is managing director of a New York-based financial firm, according to his Linkedin page.
O’Grady was appointed school board president in 2015. He won his re-election bid to the school board last November.
Robbinsville Superintendent Kathie Foster said Friday in an email that the school board will officially accept O’Grady’s resignation at its meeting on Tuesday night.