Chef Barbara Lynch releases statement one month after Gloucester arrest
Renowned chef and restaurateur Barbara Lynch released a statement through a spokeswoman Friday related to her July 18 arrest in Gloucester on a drunken driving charge.
In the statement, Lynch said she has “agreed to accept the terms of the Court, known legally as a ‘continuance without a finding.’”
Gloucester police said they charged Lynch after she crashed her Mini Cooper into an unoccupied Toyota Tacoma at about 4:30 a.m. on July 18 and then subsequently failed a field sobriety test, according to a Boston Globe report. The Gloucester Times reported Lynch registered a blood-alcohol content of 0.159, which is nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08, in a breath test at the scene of the crash.
According to the Globe, the South Boston native will be on probation until November 2018:
A continuance means that a defendant admits to sufficient facts for a finding of guilt without actually pleading guilty, thereby avoiding a conviction. The case is dropped once the defendant successfully completes a term of probation without reoffending.
Lynch will be on probation until November 2018, her license is suspended for 60 days, and she will have to complete an alcohol education program, according to the clerk’s office in Gloucester District Court and Essex County prosecutors.
In her statement, Lynch does not admit to driving under the influence.
“I have apologized to my work family for embarrassing them by the decision I made to drive home late at night and for thinking that I was invulnerable to the effects of stress and fatigue,” she said.
Lynch’s restaurant group runs No. 9 Park, Menton, B&G Oysters, and more.
Read Lynch’s full statement:
Today, I agreed to accept the terms of the Court, known legally as a “continuance without a finding.” This means that I will avoid the stress of a drawn-out legal proceeding and be able to focus on my health, the growth of my business, and achieving work/life balance.
Since the accident, I have spent my time mostly with family and close friends–healing, exercising, and eating nourishing meals. I have apologized to my work family for embarrassing them by the decision I made to drive home late at night and for thinking that I was invulnerable to the effects of stress and fatigue. I remain grateful that no one else was injured.
I have been so privileged to work with great people, to earn the trust of investors, partners and employees, and to build a business that has contributed to the city I love and supported the livelihoods of so many. I will continue to invest in people, places, and ideas–more appreciative than ever of the value of our work.
I have preached to my employees the need to nurture themselves, to be educated, to pursue their dreams. To succeed in any business, it takes hard work and commitment. And it’s easy for life to get out of balance. It’s easy to lose sight of one’s own personal health and needs.
I look forward to creating more balance in my life and helping others do the same. I will also continue to focus the energies of the Barbara Lynch Gruppo on projects that are purposeful—that contribute to the strength of communities and the wellness of people.
My employees remain a priority. The passionate and talented individuals who elect a career in hospitality choose to do so because of a love for what they do. The Barbara Lynch Gruppo will continue to capture that passion and energize it in creative and purposeful ways.
