The leader of the new Family Justice Center has been suspended for 15 days without pay and is prohibited from using a city vehicle following her being cited on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident on Sept. 2.
A letter of reprimand was issued to Valerie Radu and she will be required to submit "a thorough and documented employee improvement plan" with the city's Human Resources Department.
The suspension is from next Monday to Oct. 9.
A letter from Stacy Richardson of the mayor's office says, "Through a review of the police records and in person interviews, it is clear that Dr. Radu violated the city's vehicle policy in addition to being cited for leaving the scene of an accident. Dr. Radu has also demonstrated a lack of promptness and appropriate follow through in reporting previous incidents."
Police said Valerie Radu was driving south on N. Market Street when her Ford Taurus came in contact with a motorcycle. The motorcyclist, Jared Cullum, was charged with failing to yield right-of-way.
Police said Dr. Radu proceeded on to a meeting at the Police Services Center on Amnicola Highway, where officers noticed that a motorcycle handle was lodged between the passenger door and front fender.
She was questioned about the damage to her car and the handle and she said she had felt a bump, but continued driving.
A traffic investigator said, "Because of the amount of damage to the side of the Taurus and because the damage started at the front and went along side the entire right side of the car, I determined that the Taurus was overtaking the motorcycle and that the driver should have seen the motorcyclist striking the front right side of her car and heard and felt the impact of the rider's bike and body along the side of her car."
The Taurus is a city-owned vehicle.
The letter from Ms. Richardson said after city officials learned of the incident it was determined that she should be immediately sent for a drug screening and have her access to a city vehicle suspended. The drug screen was negative and Dr. Radu returned to work.
The letter said there was a prior incident involving Dr. Radu when a city vehicle sustained $908 in damage to the hood while in the parking lot of a hotel in Johnson City where she was attending a convention. Officials said she failed to appropriate file information on that incident.