Treasurer-elect demands jury trial on suspended license charge

State Treasurer-elect Colleen Davis has pleaded not guilty and wants a jury trial in connection with speeding and driving with a suspended license tickets she received Nov. 13 near Georgetown.

Her plea was filed with Sussex County Court of Common Pleas Dec. 7, three days before an appearance in court had been scheduled. She is now scheduled for a jury trial Jan. 30, said Carl Kanefsky, spokesman for the Attorney General's Office.

Davis, a Democratic newcomer who beat incumbent Republican State Treasurer Ken Simpler Nov. 6, will be sworn in as the new state treasurer on Jan. 1.

A week after her victory over Simpler, Davis was driving a silver 2015 Honda Odyssey on Route 113 near Stockley Road when a Delaware State Police trooper clocked her going 72 in a 55 mph zone, according to court documents.

In addition to a speeding charge, the 38-year-old Dagsboro resident was cited with driving while suspended or revoked. She was also cited for giving the trooper a suspended license and failure to provide proof of insurance and vehicle registration.

Davis could not be reached for comment, but on Nov. 17 she posted a Facebook message about her tickets.

“Earlier this month, I missed a court date for a speeding ticket I was contesting. This resulted in a temporary suspension of my license. I have paid my fine, and my license has since been reinstated. I made an honest mistake during a busy time leading up to Election Day. As working parents know, life can get hectic. It should not have happened. I'll do better going forward,” her Facebook page read.

On her webpage for state treasurer, Davis describes herself as a person of “high standards of excellence, I am highly organized and manage others to achieve the greatest return through hard work and determination.”

Davis has a previous citation for driving under a suspended license dating back to 1997 under her maiden name of Carroll. Records also show her license was surrendered in 2015, and she got a speeding ticket in 2016, two in 2017 and one in March 2018 before her latest ticket on Nov. 13. Records also show her license was suspended Nov. 9 for failure to answer a summons. The suspension was lifted Nov. 14, a day after her latest speeding and violations, records state.

Charles McLeod, spokesman for the Delaware Department of Transportation, would not say why Davis's license was suspended this time or in the past. He said Delaware code prevents the disclosure of personal information by the Division of Motor Vehicles.

The DMV lists several reasons why a driver's license is suspended, including too many driving record points, speeding and driving under the influence.

Of all Davis's latest violations, the penalty for driving with a suspended or revoked license is the most severe. Delaware code states the fine for a first offense is $500 to $1,000, with one to six months in jail. Subsequent charges can increase fines to $4,000 and a year in jail.

DMV fees to reinstate a license include $100 for insurance violation, $25 to reinstate a suspended license and about $143 to reinstate a revoked license.

Davis won the state treasurer position by running on a platform that included prioritizing Main Street over Wall Street.

The state treasurer oversees Delaware's debt management, banking services and investment portfolio, which includes Wall Street funds.

The treasurer also processes, records and reconciles all state receipts and disbursements, making “accurate and timely payments and collections on behalf of state agencies,” according to the state's description of the office.

Davis will make $116,582 per year as state treasurer.