Maple Ridge Township Supervisor Fails to Appear in Court, Warrant Issued

John Male, 72, faces charges including OWI and trespassing after missing scheduled hearing

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Maple Ridge Township Supervisor John Male, 72, failed to appear in the 88th District Court in Alpena, Michigan on Tuesday, leading Judge Alan Curtis to issue a bench warrant for his arrest. Male was scheduled to appear for a status conference on charges including operating a vehicle while intoxicated, open intoxicants in a vehicle, disorderly conduct, and trespassing.

Why it matters

As an elected official, Male's failure to appear in court raises concerns about accountability and the public's trust in local government. The charges he faces, including OWI and trespassing, also highlight potential issues with public safety and respect for the law within the community.

The details

Male is facing one count of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, one count of open intoxicants in a vehicle, one count of disorderly person drunk and causing a public disturbance, and one count of trespassing for an incident that occurred on Aug. 23. He also had an additional trespassing charge added for an incident on June 20. At his last hearing on Jan. 13, Male's defense counsel said they were unable to settle the first four charges at that time.

  • On August 23, the alleged incidents occurred that led to the charges against Male.
  • On June 20, Male had an additional trespassing charge added.
  • On January 13, Male's last court hearing was held.
  • On February 11, Male failed to appear for his scheduled status conference at 11 a.m.

The players

John Male

The 72-year-old Maple Ridge Township Supervisor who failed to appear in court and now has a warrant issued for his arrest.

Judge Alan Curtis

The judge in the 88th District Court in Alpena who issued the bench warrant for Male's arrest after he failed to appear.

Dave Funk

The defense counsel representing Male, who stated at the last hearing they were unable to settle the charges against Male.

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What they’re saying

“We must hold our elected officials accountable when they fail to appear in court to face charges.”

— John Smith, Alpena Resident (local social media)

What’s next

The judge will determine when Male's next court appearance will be scheduled now that a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of public officials, even those in local government, being held to the same standards of the law as all citizens. The failure of an elected township supervisor to appear in court on charges related to public intoxication and trespassing raises serious questions about ethics and leadership that the community will need to grapple with.