'Star-News' reporter charged with DWI

A Star-News reporter who has investigated drunken driving issues was charged Friday with driving while impaired, according to a police report.

Wilmington police officers found Ken Little, 52, of Cypress Grove Drive, parked in his vehicle in the 600 block of Church Street at 10:43 p.m. Friday after a 911 caller reported a black Jeep Cherokee driving erratically through downtown.

Little was taken to New Hanover County jail on $1,000 unsecured bond and charged with driving while impaired. He was released from jail early Saturday. Little has a court date set for Oct. 1.

Little's blood-alcohol content at the time of the charge is not known because he refused to take a sobriety test, according to the police report. The legal blood-alcohol limit in North Carolina is 0.08.

Little reports on crime, courts and legal matters for the Star-News and covers DWI issues. He wrote a series of articles in March that analyzed DWI cases and found that many people charged with driving while impaired in North Carolina have found ways to delay their cases, receive lesser penalties or escape without punishment. Little has frequently reported on the legal troubles of John B. Dickinson III, an area man who has been charged dozens of times with driving while impaired.

According to the police report, officers found Little sitting in the driver's seat with the engine running. The report states that a strong odor of alcohol was present in the vehicle, and that Little had glassy eyes, slurred speech and appeared unstable on his feet.

Little was unavailable for comment Tuesday. Tommy Hicks, Little's attorney, did not return a call to his office.

Chris Mazzolini: 343-2223

chris.mazzolini@starnewsonline.com