An accident last week involving a county-owned car driven by Bryan McIntire was the fifth in seven years for the four-term Baltimore County councilman, according to county records.
The records indicate that McIntire appeared to have been at fault in at least four of the five accidents, which cost taxpayers nearly $41,000 — four times more than the costs of all accidents involving the other six councilmen combined.
McIntire, 80, the lone Republican on the council, was involved in an accident June 3 at an intersection about 600 feet from his home in Timonium.
Police said the councilman failed to yield the right of way while making a left turn from Jenifer Road onto Timonium Road. His car hit another driven by a 17-year-old Bel Air girl.
There were no injuries, but both cars had to be towed. Police did not issue a traffic citation.
The county car driven by McIntire was determined to be totaled. Vehicle loss was estimated at $4,175 — about $500 less than the cost to repair the vehicle, according to county records.
The full cost of the accident is not yet known because the other driver has not filed a damage claim.
McIntire did not respond to requests for an interview. In a previous interview, he apologized for the recent accident but declined to speak about it further.
Records going back to 1994, when McIntire was first elected, show no accidents involving county cars driven by the councilman until August 2003.
The June 3 accident was the third in the past 18 months involving county cars driven by McIntire, according to an accident history released through a Maryland Public Information Act request.
One accident in 2005 resulted in a county car valued at nearly $8,800 being written off as a total loss. The county also paid more than $16,000 in liability payments. Because the county self-insures, the costs are covered by tax dollars.
Don Mohler, a county spokesman, said the county can choose to seek reimbursement from employees who damage county vehicles.
"It is really determined on a case-by-case basis," Mohler wrote in an e-mail response to questions. "The county recognizes that accidents do happen, but in the case of gross negligence, the county could choose to ask to be reimbursed."
County policy allows council members to have access to a county-owned vehicle. Five of the seven councilmen drive one. McIntire does not have a county car since the accident, and Councilman Sam Moxley does not have a county car.
Employees may have their county car taken away if they accumulate six points in state violations while driving a county vehicle. McIntire was not issued a ticket for the June 3 incident, and it is unclear whether he was cited in any of the other incidents.
It is also not clear whether the county would allow McIntire to have another county car if he wants one.
"Councilman McIntire has not requested another car," Mohler wrote. "Should he request another car, the issue would be reviewed at that time."
In addition to McIntire, three other current County Council members have reported damage to county-owned vehicles since 1990, according to records released under a Maryland Public Information Act request.
Councilmen Vincent J. Gardina has reported the most damage to his county-owned vehicles since first being elected in 1990. One incident involved the burglary of his car. Two involved other drivers backing into Gardina's car. A fourth was a hit-and-run involving Gardina's parked vehicle. Two other accidents involved collisions with vehicles, including a transit bus.
Councilmen Moxley and Ken Oliver, elected in 1994 and 2002, respectively, each reported damage stemming from someone hitting their cars while they were parked. Moxley's only other accident stemmed from his June 2005 arrest for driving under the influence.
Three councilmen — Joseph Bartenfelder, Kevin Kamenetz and John Olszewski Sr. — have had no accidents in their county-owned vehicles since being elected. Bartenfelder and Kamenetz were elected in 1994. Olszewski was elected in 1998.