UPPER DARBY, Pa. - A Pennsylvania town mayor who was arrested for DUI after leaving a political fundraiser in January and has since sought treatment for alcohol abuse is urging others fighting the same battle to seek help before it's too late."I just would like to use this platform that I have to talk about it and make people feel there is hope," Upper Darby Mayor Barbarann Keffer told FOX 29's Jeff Cole in an exclusive interview.
Keffer, 56-years-old and a mother of two, was pulled over on Jan. 26 after leaving a political fundraiser in Boothwyn. According to a criminal complaint, the officer observed damage to the bumper and front passenger tire on her car and noticed the smell of alcohol on Keffer.In a statement released by Keffer after her arrest, she said she would seek professional treatment for alcohol addiction in an effort to continue her role as mayor."I want to do well by the community and see Upper Darby grow and prosper.
I want our community to be safer, cleaner, and full of opportunity. It's why I ran for office and why I am committed to getting the help I need to do just that," the statement read in part.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by FOX 29, she was taken into custody in Upper Chichester after refusing field sobriety tests following a traffic stop.Over two months since the DUI arrest, Keffer opened up to FOX 29's Jeff Cole about her over three decade battle with alcohol abuse."I couldn’t stop, and I don’t think at the time I wanted to stop," Keffer said.She believes her drinking problem began when she attended Harvard University where she was a standout basketball player.