FRANKLIN — A former Franklin mayor and current councilman who was arrested last June for driving under the influence impaired recently entered a no contest plea to a reduced charge of reckless operation and was found guilty by a visiting judge last month.

Carl Bray entered the plea change and was sentenced by Visiting Judge Mark Bogen of Lebanon during a hearing Dec. 13 in Franklin Municipal Court.

Bray was sentenced to a suspended 30-day jail term, a license suspension of 180 days with court privileges, 15 hours of community service, a $250 fine and court costs, according to court records.

An Ohio Highway Patrol trooper stopped Bray about 1:25 a.m. June 17 and cited him for DUI and for being left of center on Martha and Millard drives in Franklin.

Bray was taken to the Franklin Police Department and was later released after refusing to take a Breathalyzer test, according to the highway patrol.

Bray, who has previously served as mayor for one year and been a member of council for 10 years, told The Journal last June that he denied he was drunk. He told the trooper that he was the designated driver that night and was picking some people up from a concert at JD Legends (Entertainment Complex on Millard Drive). As he came out of the complex, Bray said the road was torn up and he opted to go around it. Bray said he swerved and the trooper pulled him over. He said he told the trooper that he had not been drinking and was taking people home.

He said he declined to do a Breathalyzer test because he had gout at the time. Bray said he was told that he would be arrested because he declined to take the field sobriety test and was cited.

A phone message for comment was left for Bray.

Bray, who is self-employed, was first elected to council in 2001 and has been re-elected twice since then. His current term expires Dec. 31.

In 2010 while serving as Franklin’s mayor, Bray was fined $175 in Springboro Mayor’s Court for driving his motorcycle on a city sidewalk to avoid a crash scene in Springboro. He said he drove on the sidewalk as he was trying to deliver a fly swatter that he purchased for his mother who lived four houses down the street where the crash occurred.

At the crash scene, Bray accused Springboro police of being overzealous during a heated exchange where he told the officer that he was “a punk cop. I’m the Mayor of Franklin. I’m going to call your city manager.”

The officer pulled out his Taser before another police officer responded with back-up. Bray was ordered to sit on the curb while the officer issued the citation. Bray said he drove directly from the crash to Springboro City Hall, where he continued his complaints with police administrators. The next day, Bray attended the Springboro City Council meeting to complain publicly about the incident.

Bray apologized in court as well as to the citizens of Franklin for his actions.