JASPER, Texas — The Jasper city attorney has resigned citing health reasons.
71-year-old Michael Ratcliff's resignation letter was dated November 8, 2024 and says that he has resigned from his position due to health.
12News spoke to Councilman District 5 At-Large, Lequin Hilderbrand. He tells us Ratcliff resigned due a cancer diagnosis. He has been undergoing treatment in Houston.
Hilderbrand says that due to his treatments, Ratcliff has not been able to fulfill his duties as city attorney and therefore resigned.
In September 2024 Ratcliff was arrested for driving while intoxicated by a state trooper.
A trooper stopped Ratcliff for an equipment violation while he was driving a Toyota Rav4 on FM2799 near Live Oak Rd, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.
After noticing "signs of impairment" and after being given field sobriety tests, the trooper determined that Ratcliff was under the influence and arrested him.
He was taken to the Jasper County Jail to be booked on the misdemeanor charge, according to the DPS.
