Obama's Uncle Onyango Obama On DUI Arrest: quoted as saying 'I'll Call White House' when told he gets one free call
Onyango Obama is also Illegally in the country
BOSTON -- The White House has made no comments about the arrest of President Barack Obama's uncle in Massachusetts last week on suspicion of drunken driving, but Onyango Obama's employer said he is a hard worker whose paperwork was in order when he was hired five years ago.
He said Obama, who he's always known as Obama Onyango, has worked for his family for years and he had no idea his employee had any White House connections.
"When we hired him, went through all the paperwork. He's on our payroll, payroll company has all the information, valid driver's license, everything showed up great," said Parimal Patel, the owner of Conti Liquors in Framingham.
Patel said he was shocked by Obama's arrest.
"I have nothing but good things to say about him. Very hard worker. You can ask most of our customers. He's an excellent employee. Always there for us," Patel said.
Obama, 67, was arrested last week in Framingham on an OUI charge after he failed to stop completely at a stop sign and a police officer had to quickly apply his brakes to avoid hitting Obama's SUV, police said.
A review of Obama's driving records released by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles Tuesday showed no previous driving arrests or infractions.
The arresting officer said Obama failed several sobriety tests and blew a reading of 0.14 percent on a blood-alcohol breath test, which is above the state's legal driving limit of 0.08 percent.
Obama was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and failure to yield the right of way.
When asked if he wanted to make a call to arrange bail, Obama said, "I think I'll call the White House," according to the police report filed in Framingham District Court.
Framingham Officer Val Krishtal said in his report that he stopped Obama on Aug. 24 at about 7 p.m. at the intersection of Waverly and South streets when Obama failed to come to a complete stop at the stop sign and made a sharp right turn, causing him to hit his own brakes to avoid hitting Obama's SUV.
Obama's speech was slurred and he was argumentative, Krishtal said, and he failed sobriety tests, later admitting to having had two beers, according to the police report.
Obama is the half-brother of the president's late father and the brother of another of the president's relatives, Zeituni Onyango, of Boston, who won the right to stay in the U.S. last year after being denied asylum in 2004. She had been in the country illegally since 2000 but a judge said her connection to the president could make her a target if she were forced to return to Kenya.
Onyango Obama pleaded not guilty to the charges Friday and is being held without bail on a detainer from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which said he had an earlier deportation or removal order.
His immigration status could not immediately be confirmed and both ICE and the White House declined comment on the case.
Obama's arrest has raised questions about how he could have both a driver's license and a Social Security number.
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