Scott Benson

"243A0895-Enhanced-NR" from City of Detroit Gov., Licensed under the Public Domain Mark 1.0 (Public Domain) license.

Drunk Driving Conviction

Summary: In June 2014, Detroit City Councilman Scott Benson was arrested after police found him unconscious in his city-owned car with an open bottle of bourbon. His blood alcohol level was 0.24 percent, three times the legal limit. Despite initially claiming he had only one sip of vodka, Benson later pleaded guilty to drunken driving. In January 2015, Judge Bill Richards sentenced him to seven days in jail, $2,000 in fines, two years probation, and counseling, noting this was Benson's second alcohol-related driving offense. Benson publicly apologized and promised to make necessary lifestyle changes to continue serving his district effectively.

Details

On June 29, 2014, Detroit City Councilman Scott Benson, who represented District 3, was arrested in Southfield, Michigan. Police found Benson unconscious behind the wheel of his city-owned 2008 Crown Victoria near the intersection of 8 Mile Road and the Southfield Freeway. A witness had called 911 reporting, "I don't know if there's something wrong with this guy in this car at Southfield and 8 Mile at the service drive. It's not moving and neither is the person inside."

At the time of his arrest, Benson was found with an open bottle of Buffalo Trace Bourbon in the vehicle. Although he initially told Southfield police he had only consumed "one sip" of vodka, a blood test revealed his blood alcohol content was 0.24 percent, three times Michigan's legal limit for driving. He was placed under arrest for operating while impaired and released on a $500 bond.

On October 2014, Benson pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of drunken driving after initially being charged with "super drunk driving." On January 22, 2015, Benson appeared before Judge Bill Richards in Southfield district court for sentencing. During the proceedings, Judge Richards noted that this was Benson's second alcohol-related driving offense, though details of the previous incident were not provided.

Benson read a prepared statement in court: "I'd like to apologize to this court, the residents of Southfield and Detroit, my colleagues and family for my egregious behavior of June 2014." Judge Richards sentenced Benson to seven days in the Oakland County Jail (half the time recommended by court officials), $2,000 in fines and costs, two years of probation, continued substance abuse counseling, and meetings with victims of drunk driving tragedies. Benson chose to begin serving his jail sentence on March 13, 2015.

Following the sentencing, Benson issued a longer statement expressing remorse and indicating he had "made the appropriate and necessary lifestyle changes" while pledging to "continue to labor hard for my district and the citizens of Detroit without distraction."

A review of Benson's driving record by Fox 2 revealed several suspensions for unpaid fees dating back to 2011, minor traffic infractions, and a hold on his license for unpaid parking tickets in Detroit.

The FCA Land Swap Vote and Its Aftermath

Initial Support for the Land Deal

In 2019, Scott Benson voted in favor of the controversial land swap agreement that facilitated the expansion of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA, now Stellantis) plant on Detroit's east side. By a 6-3 vote, City Council approved a transfer of $43.5 million in cash plus 200 acres of city-owned land throughout Detroit in exchange for an 82.2-acre parking lot owned by the Moroun family's Crown Enterprises. Dozens of the properties received by the Morouns are in Cadillac Heights— a neighborhood within Benson's District 3.

At the time, FCA was leasing the parking lot from the Morouns and using it for parking. After the complex land swap was completed and the lot transferred to FCA, the property continues to serve the same function it had before— as a parking lot.

The land swap vote occurred against a backdrop of significant political contributions from Moroun-backed entities. Of the approximately $200,000 that various Moroun-backed political action committees spent on candidates during the 2017 city council election, Benson received $1,919 from the Turn Around Wayne County Super PAC, which was financially supported by the Moroun family.

Consequences in Cadillac Heights

The land acquired by Crown Enterprises through the swap would later become the source of significant controversy in Benson's own district. In 2022, Crown began construction of a concrete mixing plant on parcels obtained through the FCA deal, building the facility without proper permits before receiving a stop work notice from the city's Buildings, Safety, Engineering, and Environmental Department (BSEED).

The plant's operation has created what residents describe as harmful dust, noise, and increased truck traffic in the predominantly Black neighborhood. Simultaneously, Crown Enterprises engaged in a campaign to pressure longtime residents to sell their homes, offering below-market prices and short deadlines, effectively displacing families who had lived in the area for decades.

Shifting Explanations

When confronted about the concrete plant's impacts on his constituents in 2024, Benson characterized the land swap as an administrative decision by the mayor's office rather than a legislative choice requiring council approval, stating: "This was a city of Detroit deal cut on the 11th floor," referring to the mayor's office.

However, when pressed further about his role in the transaction, Benson ultimately acknowledged and defended his support for the land swap. In a 2024 interview, he stated: "I still support and stand in front of my vote to bring jobs and development and investment to the City of Detroit and focus on our residents."

Benson maintained that he "couldn't have anticipated the situation today in Cadillac Heights" and argued that the deal was necessary for economic development. He emphasized the job creation aspect of the Stellantis plant, despite the company's subsequent layoffs and workforce reductions at the facility.