A Juvenile and Domestics Relations Court, who presides over cases in the New River Valley, had his DUI charged reduced to reckless driving Tuesday afternoon in Smyth County General District Court.

Michael Keith Blankenship, 44, of Wytheville, pled guilty to the reduced charge of reckless driving and to refusing to submit to a Breathalyzer test. He was fined $100 and his driver’s license was suspended for one year.

Blankenship was originally charged with DUI after Virginia State Trooper Ronnie Collins observed him driving erratically on Interstate 81 in Smythe County on March 1, 2008.

Judge Blankenship is not out of the woods yet, as he still faces a misdemeanor hit and run charge from an incident, which took place on April 27 in Powhatan County.

According to the Virginia State Police, it’s alleged that Blankenship was traveling north on Huguenot Springs Road when he ran off the right side of the road and hit a telephone line box. Blankenship's car then did "substantial" damage to an adjacent yard before getting back on the roadway and then running off the light side of the road.

Police say the vehicle went up an embankment and uprooted a tree before leaving the scene of the accident.

The Virginia State Police issued the charge on May 3.

His hearing in Powhatan County General District Court is scheduled for 11 a.m. on June 27.

Currently, Blankenship is not presiding over any court cases.

Blankenship, who hears cases primarily in the Wythe County, sits in the 27th Judicial District, which covers Montgomery, Floyd, Giles, Pulaski, Carroll, Wythe, Grayson and Bland counties and the cities of Radford and Galax.

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