A Michigan Democratic lawmaker spent Thursday night in jail after being arrested for suspected drunken driving.
According to police records obtained by the media, State Rep. Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor) was pulled over along Interstate 75 at about 11:15 p.m. Thursday night.
“We had received several calls about a motorist weaving in an out of lanes along 75 and one of our cars caught up with the suspected vehicle—a 2013 Jeep Cherokee—on northbound I-75 near Baldwin Road,” Auburn Hills Police Lt. Ryan Gagnon told The Detroit News. “The officer saw the vehicle cross several lanes of traffic, nearly cutting off one motorist, and striking a guardrail and continuing north.”
Warren admitted to an officer that she was returning home to Ann Arbor after attending an event in Detroit and had been drinking. She failed field sobriety tests but refused to take a breathalyzer or have her blood drawn, an infraction that comes with automatic suspension of a driver’s license for one year.
The Democratic legislator was released from Oakland County Jail Friday afternoon, but managed to avoid the media by exiting through a visitor entrance. Oakland County Undersheriff Michael McCabe told WXYZ that he was disappointed with the special treatment provided to Warren and said she should have been released from jail like any other inmate.
Auburn Hills police said it will take up to three weeks to get the blood test results back, which were obtained through a search warrant and will be passed along to the prosecutor for review.
Warren was first elected to represent the 55th House District last November after spending eight years as a state senator. Prior to her stint in the Senate, she served two terms as the representative for the 53rd House District.
She said she “made a stupid mistake” in a statement released to the media Friday night.
“I drank alcohol and got into my vehicle to drive. I apologize to those impacted by my actions. Most importantly, I am extremely grateful that I did not hurt anyone. I appreciate the Auburn Hills police who stopped me last night and the professionalism and dignity with which I was treated by everyone at the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department,” she said. “I take full responsibility for my actions, will cooperate fully in the ongoing investigation and will do everything I can to guarantee that this never happens again.”
House Minority Leader Christine Greig (D-Farmington Hills) told The Detroit News that she was aware of the media reports surrounding Warren’s arrest but had not spoken with her yet.
“We take any such allegations very seriously and are working to obtain additional information at this time,” she added.
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News, The Ohio Star, and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
