A Republican Kentucky state Representative was arrested on a drunk driving charge this week, just hours after the state’s legislative session concluded and the state Rep. was seen intermingling with crowds protesting the basic public health protections instituted by the state’s Democratic Governor, Andy Beshear, amidst the Coronavirus pandemic. Derek J. Lewis, who’s serving his first term in the state House, was taken into custody after police found his truck veered off into a ditch on the side of the road. After officers stopped to examine the situation, Lewis’s intoxicated state became clear, and the state Rep. “became belligerent and cursed police during the arrest,” the Lexington Herald-Leader summarizes.
On April 15, Rep Derek Lewis, Rep Nancy Tate and Rep Maddox attended the protest rally where protesters cheered and clapped when Gov. Beshear announced 7 more KYians had died from #coronavirus.
Ralph Hoskins is running against Derek 'DUI' Lewis. https://t.co/IOUkCNmrP2
— Kentucky Not Kochtucky #ITrustAndy (@kochtucky) April 17, 2020
Gary Mehler, who works as an officer with the Laurel County Sheriff’s office, was responding to a call in the area where Lewis lives when he saw the state Representative’s truck “sitting against a fence in a ditch,” according to reports. Mehler reported that Lewis was “extremely unsteady” when he got out of the vehicle and had other signs of obvious alcohol-related impairment as well.
Another @GOP drunk, Rep. Derek Lewis arrested for DUI:
‘I ain’t gonna do a God damn thing you want’: Kentucky #GOP lawmaker arrested on DUI stop.#GOPCorruptionOverCountryhttps://t.co/2HweNPqiKU
— Jenna (@jenna92821) April 16, 2020
Mehler eventually attempted to perform field sobriety tests to get a more formal assessment of Lewis’s condition, but the state Representative refused, insisting:
‘I ain’t gonna do a Goddamn thing you want.’
Mehler summarizes in his arrest report:
‘It was obvious he was manifestly under the influence of alcohol and he was placed under arrest.’
Authorities reportedly tried but failed to call at least two different attorneys for Lewis before they took him from a hospital to a local correctional center. Lewis was eventually released without having to post a cash bond.
If anyone is looking for a Kentucky House candidate to support, please check out Ralph Hoskins. He's running against Republican incumbent Derek Lewis, who was arrested night in Laurel County on a DUI charge.
Reprehensible Lewis got mouthy with ths policehttps://t.co/DuVrceuwPM— Paula Marie (@PaulaEquine) April 17, 2020
Lewis apparently plans to plead not guilty to the drunk driving charge against him. Croley Foley & Cessna, the law firm representing Lewis, commented:
‘We request that everyone following this matter keep an open mind and not reach conclusions while the matter proceeds though the legal system.’
The state House had adjourned approximately two hours prior to Lewis’s arrest. The state capitol is approximately an hour and 40 minutes away from where Lewis was taken into custody, suggesting that he’d definitely been driving drunk, since that doesn’t exactly leave much time outside transit.
You hate to see it.
A banner day for the @kygop as @SavannahLMaddox rallied protestors and old Derek Lewis worked the crowd before tying one on. 🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/VXdv5WrzY8— Scott Johnson (@rsj311) April 16, 2020
According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, on Wednesday evening, hours prior to his arrest, Lewis “made his way through the crowd and was seen speaking to some of the protesters” at a rally against the governor’s stay-at-home order that, like similar orders currently in place across most of the U.S., has restricted business activity that’s been deemed “nonessential.”
They blocked ambulances from reaching Sparrow Hospital in Lansing Michigan during a pandemic. They stood close together and infected themselves. Maybe they will have need of an ambulance in the future. pic.twitter.com/LksiWAw333
— Terri Lyndie (@TerriLyndie) April 16, 2020
Similarly belligerent protests have sprung up in other states like Michigan, where angry demonstrators even temporarily blocked an ambulance entrance at a hospital, according to reports.
Opponents of Michigan's social distancing measures blocked a hospital entrance in protest.
"The cars were blocking one of our hospitals, so an ambulance literally wasn't able to get into the bay for ten minutes," said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. https://t.co/CkdVU5lXi3
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 16, 2020
Michigan is one of the hardest hit states in the country amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Americans and counting. Early Friday, Trump took to trumpeting outrageous, inane support for the protesters who allege that their inalienable human rights have been infringed upon because they’ve simply been asked to stay home because a deadly, globally devastating virus is spreading.
LIBERATE MICHIGAN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020
