State Auditor Beth Wood pleads guilty to more charges related to her use of a public vehicle

WAKE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- State Auditor Beth Wood pleaded guilty to more charges Friday, months after pleading guilty to a 2022 hit-and-run.

Wood's latest guilty plea was for illegal private use of a public vehicle. The latest plea comes the same day she said she would step down as state auditor.

Her attorney, Roger Smith Jr., released a statement on behalf of Wood:

"This is a sad day for Beth Wood. It's an abrupt end to a great career as North Carolina's State Auditor. For the past 15 years she has been honored to serve the people of this state. She absolutely loved her job and is thankful for the opportunity to have served. She has paid a heavy price, but she looks forward to her next chapter."

The SBI reported in November that Wood used a public vehicle to drive back and forth to hair appointments, dentist visits, spa outings, and out-of-town shopping centers. The private use of public vehicles is a Class 2 misdemeanor.

She has paid over a $1,000 in restitution, will have to pay court costs and go through 12 months of unsupervised probation.

Wood's misuse of her public vehicle came to light in December 2022 when she was involved in a hit-and-run that totaled her vehicle. She later issued an apology for her actions and had her use of state-owned vehicles suspended.