TPM LiveWire

WI State Rep Falls Over During DUI Arrest, Enters Rehab

Spread the word. Share this article on Facebook!

Share

State Rep. Jeffrey Wood (I-WI)

Share

Twitter Facebook Fark Reddit Send to a Friend

Send to a friend!

To email:    Your Name:    Your email:

Independent Wisconsin State Rep. Jeffrey Wood was arrested on Oct. 22 for the third time in less than a year on suspicion of driving under the influence. A squad car video released Tuesday shows Wood stumbling and falling over during a sobriety test.

Now a legislative aide tells TPM that Wood is entering an intense inpatient rehabilitation program -- even while his colleagues, for the first time in Wisconsin's history, have formed a committee to consider expelling Wood.

In a phone interview this morning, legislative aide Jessica Spotts-Grabel told me that Wood is spending today "doing intake for a rehabilitation program, a more intensive program." It's a 30- to 45-day inpatient program.

Spotts-Grabel said Wood was in an outpatient program last December, and an inpatient rehab program at the end of last month.

She confirmed that he's not seeking reelection, but wouldn't comment on whether he'd resign.

"The representative is working on recovering," she said.

In the squad car video, Wood is pulled over after he swerves through the road and drives into a curb. An officer later asks Wood to walk in a straight line. The state rep stumbles and falls to the ground. Officers later take a bottle of pills from his pocket.

"Whatever you're on though is impairing you, and you're a danger to other people," one of the officers says in the video.

Wood was first elected to the state assembly in 2002, and has been re-elected every election cycle since. He turned 40 in September, and is married with three children. Before becoming a full-time legislator, he served in the U.S. Navy and Naval Reserve, owned a small business and was a local government reporter, according to his website. He's also a former member of the Libertarian Party of the Chippewa Valley.

Here's the arrest video:

Join the Conversation!

8 comments

Recommend Recommend (0)

October 28, 2009 1:44 PM   

He was somewhat more drunk than your average driver in Wisconsin. Not by much, though.

Reply | Flag Abuse

Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?

October 28, 2009 1:52 PM   

Tools like this should not be in public office. They are supposed to "Lead by example" but seem to fail miserably when it comes to that.

Reply | Flag Abuse

Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?

October 28, 2009 2:02 PM   

Poor Jessica Spotts-Grabel.

Reply | Flag Abuse

Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?

October 28, 2009 2:55 PM   

Not being sarcastic, but...is any of this connected to his being a Libertarian? They seem to hate the government and laws so much...maybe he considers it his natural right to drive while intoxicated?

Reply | Flag Abuse

Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?

October 28, 2009 3:06 PM    in reply to TaylorB1

Naaa. It's a Wisconsin thing. People routinely rack up 8 or 10 DUIs before getting locked up for more than a couple weeks. There's a prevailing feeling that drinking (and driving) are natural rights. The Judiciary seems to go along with that in sentensing. It's taken MADD years to get even the third DUI classified as a felony. Try and say the words "beer tax" without getting smacked upside the head. Proposals for a 1/4% increase in the bottle tax to support schools can't even get off the ground. Nothin' to do there but drink... I should know. Born and raised in Platteville.

Reply | Flag Abuse

Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?

October 28, 2009 3:20 PM    in reply to ClosetLuddite

Humm, some commonalities between Wisconsin and New Mexico.

Reply | Flag Abuse

Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?

October 28, 2009 3:48 PM    in reply to ClosetLuddite

But it's not as good as it used to be. I hear that they are even proposing to change the law that allows kids to drink with their parents. As it is now, if you are under 21 but with a parent, the bar can serve you. I actually benefited from this law once when I was visiting a girlfriend in Green Bay when I was 18. Go out with mom and dad and get loaded. Awesome.

Reply | Flag Abuse

Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?

October 28, 2009 3:49 PM    in reply to ClosetLuddite

Platteville, eh? I have a friend who was married on top of the big "M".

Reply | Flag Abuse

Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?

Leave a comment

Your response:

Follow us!

Most Popular

TPM Stories Now Surging on