AUBURN HILLS (WXYZ) — Rebekah Warren may be in her third term in the Michigan House of Representatives, but the state lawmaker couldn't even recite the alphabet when Auburn Hills Police pulled her over after motorists reported a possible drunk driver on the freeway.
It happened around 11:20 p.m. Thursday on northbound I-75 near Walton Road.
Auburn Hills Police would not confirm Warren's name, but they say a 48-year-old woman from Ann Arbor was stopped in a black Jeep Cherokee after an officer witnessed her leaving the roadway and hitting a guardrail.
Police received several 911 calls from other motorists about a vehicle driving erratically.
Police say their drunk driving suspect refused to take a breathalyzer and failed field sobriety tests, including counting numbers, reciting the alphabet, and walking heel-to-toe.
Warren also refused a blood draw and police had to get a search warrant to take two samples from her to be analyzed by Michigan State Police. Refusing the blood draw is an automatic one year suspension of one's driver's license.
At 3:02 a.m. Rebekah Warren was booked into the Oakland County Jail in Pontiac for Operating Under the Influence of Alcohol/Liquor. We learned that she would be released pending the outcome of the police investigation.
7 Action News cameras waited for Rebekah Warren's release, but someone inside the jail apparently gave her special treatment and allowed her to avoid cameras and exit through a visitor entrance.
Oakland County Undersheriff Michael McCabe was upset when he found out about the special treatment reportedly given to Warren.
McCabe said Rebekah Warren should have been released from jail just like any other inmate and he will be conducting an internal investigation to find out who is responsible and they will be disciplined accordingly.
As for possible drunk driving charges being filed against Warren, Auburn Hills police say it will take two to three weeks to get the blood test results back from the MSP lab. They will then forward their findings to the prosecutor for review.
Warren issued the following statement Friday night:
Last night, I was stopped in Auburn Hills following a gathering in Detroit. I made a stupid mistake; I drank alcohol and got into my vehicle to drive. I apologize to those impacted by my actions. Most importantly, I am extremely grateful that I did not hurt anyone. I appreciate the Auburn Hills police who stopped me last night and the professionalism and dignity with which I was treated by everyone at the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department. I take full responsibility for my actions, will cooperate fully in the ongoing investigation and will do everything I can to guarantee that this never happens again.
