The Lexington Herald-Leade reported on Thursday that first-term GOP lawmaker Rep. Derek J. Lewis was arrested earlier after being pulled over for suspected drunk driving.
“Police arrested first-term state Rep. Derek J. Lewis of London early Thursday on a drunken-driving charge,” reported Bill Estep. “Lewis became belligerent and cursed police during the arrest, according to a citation filed by Gary Mehler, an officer with the Laurel County Sheriff’s office.”
“According to the citation, Mehler was responding to a call when he saw a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck sitting against a fence in a ditch,” continued the report. “When he stopped to help. Lewis got out of the truck. He was ‘extremely unsteady’ on his feet, almost falling backwards into the truck, the citation said. Lewis was slurring his words, his eyes were glassy and bloodshot, and his breath smelled strongly of alcohol, Mehler said in the citation.”
According to the report, Lewis demanded that the officer contact Laurel County Sheriff, John Root.
Mehler reportedly declined and asked Lewis to perform a field sobriety test. Lewis refused and lashed out at the officer, saying, “I ain’t gonna do a God damn thing you want.”
“While waiting on a wrecker to tow away Lewis’ truck, Lewis demanded to have his blood-sugar level tested,” said the report. “An ambulance worker tested Lewis and said his blood sugar was slightly elevated ‘and not the reason for his behavior,’ the citation said. Lewis was taken to Saint Joseph – London Hospital, where he refused to take a blood test to determine his blood-alcohol level.”
