John R. Tyson, the suspended chief financial officer (CFO) of Tyson Foods, has entered not guilty pleas to an alleged incident in which he was arrested June 13 on suspicion of reckless driving, making an illegal U-turn and driving while intoxicated.
According to an ABC News report, Tyson made the plea in Fayetteville District Court in Fayetteville, Arkansas, the city the alleged violations occurred. Tyson’s next court appearance is scheduled for August 28.
Tyson, the son of Tyson Foods Chairman John H. Tyson and great-grandson of company founder John W. Tyson, was first named CFO of the company that bears his last name in September 2022, after having been the chief sustainability officer since September 2019.
Following his June 13 arrest, Tyson was suspended from his duties, while Curt Calaway, who has an 18-year history with the company in financial positions, most recently as the CFO of Tyson’s Prepared Foods unit.
Tyson’s arrest in June marks the second time he had been arrested in Fayetteville on alcohol-related charges.
On November 6, 2022, he was arrested, also in Fayetteville, after he had fallen asleep in the bed at the residence of a person he did not know. Eight days later, during a quarterly earnings call and subsequent media call, he said he was taking “full responsibility for his actions.”
Also on that media call, Tyson was asked about reports that he would seek alcohol counseling, but he declined to answer that question.
Tyson Foods launched an independent review of the alleged 2022 events, and about one month after his arrest, the company stated that it had “continued confidence” in its CFO.
Tyson eventually pleaded guilty to public intoxication and criminal trespass.
