The claim is that, Ryan Winkle – candidate for Mayor of the city of Mesa AZ – has been arrested twice DUIs in Arizona. We found this claim to be true. Winkle appears to have a pattern of “super extreme” drunk driving based on the articles we researched.
Ryan Winkle made headlines with his second Super Extreme DUI arrest in May 2017 while he was City of Mesa Councilmember for Mesa’s District 3 area. Winkle had assumed this office in January 2017, was charged with DUI in May 2017, and then was ousted from the city board in August 2017. Some articles indicate Winkle’s attorney got him a lesser charge of extreme DUI, as opposed to super-extreme as is correct with Winkle’s blood at 0.22 at the time of his arrest.
The articles we researched, below, indicated this was at least the second time Ryan Winkle was charged with DUI. They pointed to Scottsdale court records showing Winkle did jail time in 2009 for an extreme DUI charge from December 2008. In the police report, the officer indicated observing Winkle driving recklessly and nearly caused a collision near the intersection of Scottsdale Road and Indian School Road.
- Mesa City Councilman Ryan Winkle Cited For DUI (KJZZ.org by Mariana Dale dated May 9, 2017), retrieved 5/5/2024.
- Arrested Mesa councilman has previous extreme DUI conviction (arizonabikelaw.com by ArizonaBikeLaw dated May 10, 2017), retrieved 5/5/2024.
- Extreme: Mesa’s Winkle Had .220 BAC During DUI Arrest (arizonadailyindependent.com by ADI Staff Reporter dated May 23, 2017), retrieved 5/5/2024.
- Mesa Councilman Ryan Winkle Served Time In 2009 For Super Extreme DUI (fronterasdesk.org by Bridget Dowd dated May 24, 2017), retrieved 5/5/2024.
- Mesa staffer: Councilman Ryan Winkle said DUI not ‘a big deal’ (AZCentral.com by Jessica Boehm dated Aug 3, 2017), retrieved 5/5/2024.
- https://www.12news.com/article/news/politics/can-mesa-councilman-winkle-offer-cash-to-stop-dui-disciplinary-hearing/75-469402538 (12News.com by William Pitts dated August 30, 2017), retrieved 5/5/2024.
- Mesa City Council removes Ryan Winkle for DUI conviction (12News.com by Nico Santos dated Aug 31, 2017), retrieved 5/5/2024.
- Ryan Winkle unanimously voted off Mesa City Council after DUI arrest (AZCentral.com by Jessica Boehm dated Aug 31, 2017), retrieved 5/5/2024.