The new year’s off to a rough start for Charleston attorney Mark Peper, who was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence with an open container while possessing cocaine in the wee hours of Jan. 2, according to booking information from the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office.
Peper, 38, was taken to the county jail after he was arrested during a traffic stop shortly before 2 a.m. on Savannah Highway. He was later released after posting a $4,250 bond.
Peper has worked on several high-profile cases. He recently represented a man suspected of being involved in the disappearance of teenager Brittanee Drexel while she was visiting Myrtle Beach. He also served on the legal team of former state House speaker Bobby Harrell, who pleaded guilty in 2014 to misusing campaign funds.
Attempts to speak with Peper were unsuccessful. He is the son of prominent former news anchorman Warren Peper, now a columnist for the Charleston Post & Courier. The newspaper reported that Mark Peper had contacted Charleston lawyer David Aylor seeking representation following his DUI arrest.
Aylor, who worked with Peper on the Drexel case, was reportedly out of the country and could not be reached for comment.