The District 10 councilman was facing a deadline to file for the May ballot to run for his seat again.
SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio City Councilman Clayton Perry, who took a leave of absence from his seat after he was arrested and later charged with driving while intoxicated, said Thursday that he will not run for re-election.
“After a tremendous amount of thoughtful prayer and reflection, as well as conversations with friends and family, I have made the difficult decision that I will not be running for re-election at this time,” he said in a statement.
Councilman Manny Pelaez earlier told KENS 5 that Perry had been informing council members and colleagues about his decision prior to the formal announcement.
“We talked a couple of nights ago, and [Perry] told me he wasn’t going to seek a fourth term,” business attorney Marc Whyte told reporters Thursday morning before he was about to file for his own candidacy for Perry’s District 10 seat.
“Councilman Perry and I have been in touch over the last few weeks. He’s obviously made a decision now that he’s going to move on, and in the next few weeks, we anticipate he’ll be announcing he’s going to support our campaign, which of course we want,” Whyte said.
Perry was charged with DWI and failure to stop in connection with a November hit-and-run that cast a shadow over the remaining months of his current term.
The deadline to file for a spot on the May 6 ballot to run for mayor or one of the 10 City Council seats is Friday, Feb. 17, at 5 p.m.
Surveillance footage reportedly shows Perry drinking 14 alcoholic beverages within a four-hour period at the north-side bar Evil Olive on the evening of Nov. 6. Police say he veered into oncoming traffic after taking a turn too wide while driving home later that night, causing Perry to hit a vehicle stopped a red light before continuing to drive.
No serious injuries were reported in that crash, though a police report states the other car suffered “major damage.” Perry was later issued a vote of no confidence by his council colleagues before going on leave in mid-November. He said at the time that he was not planning to resign his seat on the council.
Perry’s next court appearance is scheduled for March 8.
If convicted for his DWI charge, Perry could be jailed for up to 180 days and lose his driver’s license for a year.
Officials with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, meanwhile, said in early January they were investigating Evil Olive. They have told KENS 5 there are no substantial findings to announce as of yet.