Indiana State Representative Jim Lucas is facing misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident following a late-night crash on May 31st. The Republican lawmaker was apprehended after allegedly crashing his pickup truck through a guardrail on Interstate 65 near the Indiana 11 interchange, then driving away from the scene.

Law enforcement officials located Lucas walking near his severely damaged truck, which sported a state legislator license plate, parked behind a carpet store almost three miles from the crash site. According to a police affidavit, Lucas exhibited signs of intoxication, failed a field sobriety test, and registered a blood-alcohol content of 0.097% on a breathalyzer test, exceeding the state's legal limit of 0.08%. While a blood test was also administered at a local hospital, the results have not yet been released.

Lucas, a long-time advocate for marijuana legalization and relaxed gun laws, has been a controversial figure due to past social media posts deemed racist by some. He offered an explanation for the incident to police, claiming he swerved to avoid a deer, lost control of his vehicle, and subsequently left the scene to seek assistance, parking behind the business to avoid leaving an oil leak in the main lot.

As of yet, Lucas has not publicly commented on the incident, and no legal representation has been listed in court records. The legislator, first elected in 2012, now faces legal proceedings for the two misdemeanor charges. The incident adds to a growing list of recent cases involving lawmakers facing DUI charges.