Buzz Adams, host of KLAQ’s Buzz Adams Morning Show, was arrested Jan. 10 and later release on bond, according to jail records.
KLAQ
A well-known West Texas radio host is facing multiple charges after a weekend traffic stop—and his attorney is now disputing the DWI allegation on the air, arguing deputies’ written accounts leave out key signs of impairment.
Buzz Adams—whose real name is Michael Earl Witt, 58—hosts the Buzz Adams Morning Show on Townsquare Media’s rock station 95.5 (KLAQ) in El Paso. Jail and court records show he was arrested by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office on Jan. 10 and booked on charges including driving while intoxicated (DWI), unlawful carrying of a weapon, possession of marijuana (under two ounces) and possession of a controlled substance. He was later released on a $6,600 bond.
Article continues below this ad
Adams is an Oklahoma native who previously worked in manufacturing and agriculture before becoming a radio deejay at KLAQ-FM, according to his bio. His morning show has been part of El Paso since the 1990s and is syndicated to other stations in Texas.
According to a complaint and affidavits obtained by the El Paso Times, a sheriff’s deputy stopped Adams’ vehicle in Vinton, just northwest of El Paso, after noticing it did not have a front Texas license plate. The deputy wrote that he smelled burnt marijuana and saw what he believed to be a THC vape pen. Adams “grabbed the vape pen and stated it was tobacco. (The deputy) seized the vape pen and advised him that tobacco vape pens don’t have marijuana leaf plants on them,” the deputy wrote in the affidavit.
Court records described by the El Paso Times say Adams was asked to step out of the vehicle and the deputy searched the car. In the affidavit, the deputy wrote that Adams told him “that there was going to be empty cartridges for marijuana joints and a .38” in the vehicle and said the handgun belonged to him. Deputies reported finding a loaded revolver, marijuana-related items and a beer can in the vehicle, according to the documents.
The complaint also states that deputies detected a “faint odor of alcohol” on Adams, though Adams denied having anything to drink. The documents say a field sobriety evaluation was conducted and that Adams refused to complete the remainder of the test. The deputy also wrote that Adams “refused to provide a specimen” for what appears to have been a breath-alcohol test, though the complaint does not specify.
Article continues below this ad
On Friday morning, Adams’ defense attorney, Justin Underwood, addressed the arrest and charges during an appearance on Adams’ show, according to the El Paso Times. Underwood argued that deputies left out observations he said would typically be noted in an impaired-driving case—including bloodshot eyes, slurred speech or an unsteady stance at the scene.
“At no point in any of the affidavits does it say that Buzz has red or bloodshot eyes,” Underwood said, according to the newspaper. “Slurred speech? Nope. Unstable balance at the scene? Nope. Does it say that he’s driving impaired at any point in time? Absolutely, unequivocally, no.”
Underwood also said the affidavit’s reference to a “cold” beer can could be misleading, arguing it was unopened and only cold because of the weather, the El Paso Times reported. “I looked at the affidavits and this is what I think: what’s missing from these sworn statements speaks volumes,” Underwood said, according to the paper.
Underwood contended that if the evidence does not establish intoxication, the firearm allegation would not hold up because Adams is legally allowed to carry a gun. He also said the stop happened near the U.S.–New Mexico line, described the marijuana vape pen as empty, and claimed multiple people had been in and out of Adams’ vehicle the night before, according to the El Paso Times.
Article continues below this ad
Townsquare Media confirmed to Chron that Adams remains on the air. “We are aware of the charges, and as any situation like this we’re allowing the process to play out and won’t be commenting any further,” Kevin Vargas, a brand manager, said in an email.
Adams did not discuss the case during Underwood’s appearance, under legal advice, the El Paso Times reported. Court records show no hearings have been set in the case.