Marianna mayor arrested

The mayor of Marianna was arrested and charged with boating under the influence Saturday evening and spent some time in the county jail that night before being released on the order of a judge.
Paul Anthony Donofro II, 52, is also charged with resisting without violence.
According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Stan Kirkland, Donofro refused to submit to a breathalyzer test, but admitted he had been drinking when he spoke with an officer on the bank of the river.
The resisting arrest charge was based on allegations that Donofro at first refused to come ashore when ordered to do so by FWC officer Mike Guy, Kirkland said.
According to Kirkland, Guy and Jackson County sheriff’s deputy Jeff Snell were monitoring the Magnolia Landing on reports of problem behavior in that area, when Guy heard a boat coming down the Chipola River around 6:50 p.m.
The boat was moving “at a pretty good clip,” Kirkland said, and Guy was concerned that there were tubers in the area and watched for the boat. As it came into view, he saw that a female, later identified as Donofro’s wife, was “bow riding” on the 14- to 15-foot aluminum boat.
She was sitting on the bow with her legs dangling over it. Bow riding is an infraction under Florida law. Guy hailed Donofro and tried to direct him to the bank. The river is about 20 yards wide in that area, Kirkland said.
Instead of coming to the bank, Donofro idled past, Kirkland said. He eventually turned around and came back, and the officer again tried to call him to shore. Donofro shouted back, “If you want me you can come out here,” Kirkland claimed.
Because Guy was working shore detail, he didn’t have a boat and again tried to call Donofro to the bank.
At that point, Donofro went upstream, stayed there a while and came back without the female on board, Kirkland said.
As Donofro exited the river and went to load his boat on his trailer just before 7:30 p.m., the officer was waiting for him at his truck.
Guy reported he could smell alcohol on Donofro and read him his Miranda rights, Kirkland said. Donofro subsequently admitted to drinking but would not take the breathalyzer test. His wife, according to Kirkland, came on the scene and allegedly verbally confronted the officer.
She backed away when ordered, however, and was not charged with any offense.
Donofro was handcuffed on the scene and taken to jail.
In addition to the BUI and resisting charges, which are both misdemeanors, Donofro was also cited with a non-criminal infraction for careless operation of the vessel because he allowed his wife to ride on the bow, Kirkland said.
Donofro was selected by the city commission to serve as mayor last week, taking over from James Wise. Marianna city manager Jim Dean said Monday there is nothing in the city code, city charter or state statues that would require the city to take any action following the mayor’s arrest.
Donofro said Monday that he and his attorney are “looking into all the facts and analyzing the situation ... as far as my city duties, neither (of the charges) will have any effect on my ability to continue serving as city commissioner or as mayor.”