Kent Ninomiya - Tabloid

Tabloid

During a September 2007 trial for 19-year old Erin Davis on a DUI charge, Davis admitted driving drunk on September 17, 2006 with a blood alcohol level of .20, which is two and a half times the legal limit in Illinois. Davis struck two parked cars on South Neil Street in Champaign, heavily damaged her own car, then kept driving into Campustown where University of Illinois police spotted her. Davis was initially identified as a former intern in news reports but was later confirmed to be a former operations department employee by WICD's general manager. Davis claimed she was given alcohol by WICD reporter Emily Carlson that night and that she was justified to drive drunk because she feared being sexually assaulted by Carlson, who is a woman, and Ninomiya. Both Carlson and Ninomiya denied the claim. Carlson called it a "fabrication" telling the Star Tribune that "Clearly the state attorney's office found me to be the credible witness, not Erin Davis." Ninomiya told the Star Tribune "Both me and Emily Carlson were subpoenaed as witnesses for the prosecution. Don't you think the state's attorney would have loved to come after an anchor and reporter if there was any wrongdoing? Her story was her attempt to avoid taking responsibility for her actions." Neither Carlson, who did not testify in the Davis trial, nor Ninomiya, who did testify, was charged with any crime regarding Davis. Ninomiya, Carlson and Davis had all left WICD before the Davis trial.