HOWELL, Mich. (WXYZ) — A state lawmaker from Michigan pleaded guilty Wednesday to drunken driving and other charges, including one brought after authorities say he was caught in jail with a handcuffs key taped to the bottom of his foot.
State Rep. Jewell Jones, 26, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of resisting police and three other misdemeanors stemming from his drunken driving arrest last April in Livingston County. The Democrat from the Detroit suburb of Inkster also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor escape charge over the alleged key incident.
As part of his plea deal, prosecutors agreed to let Jones be sentenced under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, which would allow the felony charges and a misdemeanor charge related to his drunken driving arrest to be expunged from his record after a probation period. His sentencing is scheduled for March 17.
According to prosecutors, Jones was so combative with paramedics and law enforcement after he drunkenly drove into a ditch that police used a Taser and pepper spray on him.
On Tuesday, Jones posted apology letters on his Instagram page to two state troopers who were at the scene.
Jones racked up additional charges after authorities said they found a handcuff key taped to the bottom of his foot when he was taken to jail in September for allegedly violating his bond conditions.
The day after Jones was charged for allegedly having the handcuffs key, he was stripped of his state House committee assignments.
