Aurora Public Schools Superintendent Michael Giles Jr. was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after Arapahoe County deputies stopped his vehicle near E-470 and East Quincy Avenue. The 51-year-old district leader appeared in court Monday and is scheduled to return in December.
Traffic Stop Led to Field Sobriety Test
According to the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office, as reported by CBS News, deputies stopped Giles' vehicle on Oct. 31 after it was observed driving through a red light and failing to maintain a single lane. Deputies then conducted a field sobriety test at the scene, the sheriff's office said. The station's report does not include further detail on what happened after the stop or how the arrest was processed.
Giles' attorney, Benjamin Hartford, said his client and legal team would not comment on the specific allegations or circumstances surrounding the arrest while the matter remains pending. Hartford said Giles intended to address the matter through the appropriate legal process. The attorney also said Giles understood the seriousness of the matter and recognized the concerns his arrest could raise within the school community, per the same account.
Court Appearance and Next Steps
Giles appeared in court Monday, two days after the traffic stop, and is scheduled to return in December. No blood-alcohol results, formal charges, or plea have been reported in connection with the case so far.
A Quick Rise to the District's Top Job
Giles has led Aurora Public Schools since 2023, when the district's Board of Education voted 7-0 to select him as its sole finalist for the superintendent post, according to The Denver Post. Before taking the role, Giles served as assistant superintendent of equity, culture and community engagement for the Cherry Creek School District, the newspaper reported.
In an August 2023 interview with Chalkbeat, conducted about a month after he took over the district's top leadership job, Giles said he had lived in Aurora for 25 years when explaining his interest in the position. At the time, he held a three-year contract paying $285,000 per year, Chalkbeat reported.
