Former New York Mets acting GM Zack Scott found not guilty in DWI case that cost him his job
New York Mets general manager Zack Scott is on the field before the game between the New York Mets and the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field on June 16, 2021 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.
Elsa | Getty Images
Zack Scott, the former acting general manager for the New York Mets, was found not guilty Thursday morning in a DWI case that had led to his firing in late 2021 after a tenure of less than one year.
Scott reportedly was ordered by the judge in the case to pay two fines for traffic violations.
In a statement issued after the verdict in a Westchester County court, where he went on trial last month, Zack said, “I am thankful for today’s verdict.”
“Nonetheless, I regret choices I made on August 31, resulting in circumstances that led to my arrest,” Zack said. “Professionally, I’m grateful to [team president] Sandy Alderson for the opportunity to lead baseball operations for the Mets and wish my former teammates nothing but the best going forward.”
The verdict came weeks after Scott’s trial on several drinking and driving charges.
During that trial, Scott’s lawyer reportedly argued he had not failed a standard field sobriety test administered by police. Evidence from police bodycam footage also reportedly did not give the impression that Scott was intoxicated.
The verdict had been delayed as a result of Scott testing positive for Covid-19 in mid-December, according to media reports.
Scott was arrested at 4:30 a.m. Sept. 1, 2021, in White Plains, N.Y., in Westchester County, after being found in his stopped 2018 Toyota. He lives in the nearby suburb of Rye and was found near the police department in White Plains.
Hours before his arrest, Scott had been attending an Amazin’ Mets Foundation benefit at the Connecticut home of Mets owner Steve Cohen, the former hedge fund operator.
In addition to being charged with driving while intoxicated, which is a misdemeanor, Scott was issued a traffic ticket for allegedly “stopping/standing/parking on highway,” disobeying a traffic control device, and failing to notify the state Department of Motor Vehicles about a change in address.
The Mets barred Scott from traveling with the team the day of his arrest, and placed him on leave on Sept. 2. He was fired two months later.
Scott had replaced former Mets GM Jared Porter, who was fired in January 2021 after he admitted sending unsolicited, explicit text messages to a female reporter when he worked for the Chicago Cubs in 2016.
