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Test shows Henderson manager under legal limit

Henderson Assistant City Manager Fred Horvath was under the legal limit for DUI on Friday, the Review-Journal has learned.

While Henderson officials would not confirm the results of a blood test Tuesday, city spokesman Bud Cranor said Horvath is no longer on administrative leave, but is taking some personal time off.

Horvath’s blood test came back at 0.058 percent, which under the legal 0.08 limit for driving under the influence, the newspaper has learned.

The 58-year-old Horvath was arrested at 7-Eleven, 1680 W. Sunset Road, on suspicion of driving under the influence after playing golf on Friday, a day when the city is closed. Horvath was booked into the Henderson Detention Center on a first-time misdemeanor charge about 3 p.m. and released nearly 90 minutes later on his own recognizance.

The Henderson Police Department has not released many details on the events surrounding Horvath’s arrest, citing an open investigation.

On Monday, police spokeswoman Kathleen Richards said there was not a declaration of arrest filed because Horvath was quickly released on his own recognizance. Additionally, any paperwork or calls to the police leading to the arrest are part of the investigation and not a public record.

“As with any open police investigation, we cannot release specific details about the incident until the case is closed,” Richards said. “Any paperwork generated by the investigation would be part of the incident report, which cannot be released at this time. A 9-1-1 and/or 3-1-1 call would also be considered part of the investigation and could not be released.”

Richards said the release came through Henderson Municipal Chief Judge Mark Stevens.

“Any person in custody that has no criminal record and no reason to be further detained may request to be heard by a judge, who may release that person on their own recognizance,” she said.

Horvath is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 15 in front of Judge Douglas Hedger. The only paperwork in Horvath’s case file Tuesday was his signed release acknowledgment.

The arrest came as the police unions are the last two bargaining units yet to reach contract agreements with the city.

Horvath has been the city’s lead negotiator on the four union contracts that have reached agreements this year, including the one with the Henderson Professional Fire Fighters union ratified in June. However, the city said Tuesday that negotiations with the Henderson Police Officers’ Association and the Police Supervisors’ Association were suspended prior to his arrest.

Cranor said the city would not “speculate on what, if any, impact Fred’s situation will have on the remaining negotiations.”

Negotiations with the officers’ association were scheduled to resume in September, but there is no date for the restart of the supervisors’ union negotiations.

Contact Arnold M. Knightly at aknightly@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3882. Find him on Twitter: @KnightlyGrind.

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