South Pittsburg City Administrator Sammy Burrows' case reset

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Arkansas-Ole Miss Live Blog
photo South Pittsburg City Administrator Sammy Burrows

JASPER, Tenn. - The criminal case involving multiple charges against South Pittsburg, Tenn., City Administrator Sammy Burrows was reset Wednesday for March 5.

Charges of obstruction of officer rights, resisting arrest, speeding and reckless driving, filed against Burrows by his own police department, were to have been heard in Marion County General Sessions Court on Wednesday, but the hearing was rescheduled, court officials said.

Burrows was arrested Nov. 9, 2013, by then-South Pittsburg police Sgt. Paul West, after he was allegedly clocked on radar doing 72 mph in a 35 mph zone, according to police reports.

Three days later, city commissioners voted to fire West and to award Burrows a five-year contract extension.

West now works as a patrolman for the Whitwell Police Department on the other side of the county.

In General Sessions Court on Wednesday, West was represented by Chattanooga attorney Stevie Phillips and Burrows by Dunlap, Tenn., attorney M. Keith Davis in a case prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Dave McGovern.

McGovern said Wednesday the case could be resolved by March 5.

Phillips did not participate in the resetting of the date, she said.

Burrows has admitted to speeding and said after the arrest that he immediately notified City Commission members.