Sandy MaloneTroy, MI – A police report showed that a Michigan lawmaker who posted pictures of himself looking beat up after he was arrested for drunk driving had a handgun in a drink holder in his car, fought with state troopers, and threatened to call the governor.
The incident occurred at about 5 p.m. on April 6 when Michigan State Police and EMS responded to a single-vehicle crash that involved Michigan State Representative Jewell Jones, The Washington Post reported.
Witnesses told police that Jones’ black Chevy Tahoe with the license plate “ELECTED” had been drifting erratically all over Interstate 96 before it ran off the road and overturned into a ditch.
The Detroit News obtained a copy of the police report from the incident through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
The report showed troopers and paramedics said Jones appeared to be under the influence of something after the crash.
Jones tried to show EMS workers a badge and interfered in their treatment of his passenger, including giving a push to one of the medics, The Detroit News reported.
Then when state troopers actually asked to see Jones’ identification, he showed them a badge and then shook his arms “as if he were about to do something,” according to the police report.
The police report said the lawmaker threatened the troopers that if they did not release him, he would call the governor, The Detroit News reported.
“I don’t give a f–k bro, when I call Gretchen ill [sic] need yall [sic] ID’s, badge numbers, everything,” Jones said, according to the report.
“It’s not going to be good for you, I run y’all budget, bro,” he warned the state troopers arresting him.
Troopers attempted to detain Jones and he resisted, so they took him to the ground, The Detroit News reported.
The police report said Jones struggled with officers and refused to comply with commands so they deployed a stun gun on him twice,
Then troopers pepper-sprayed him, The Detroit News reported.
It took the assistance of a third officer from Fowlerville to get Jones into handcuffs, according to the police report.
Troopers found a loaded Glock handgun in the cup holder in the front seat of Jones’ SUV, The Detroit News reported.
The elected official refused a breath test but state police got a warrant for his blood.
Toxicology results showed that Jones had a blood alcohol level of .19%, more than twice the legal limit, The Detroit News reported.
He was arrested and booked into the Livingston County Jail overnight, but was released pending blood test results the next day.
Michigan's very own Jewell Jones pic.twitter.com/cHU1PhM88d
— Roddy Chris (@RoddyChris4) April 16, 2021
Rep. Jewell Jones being arraigned. Prosecutor outlining some details of the charges, including allegations that Jones become confrontational w/paramedics tending to his passenger. Had gun in cupholder of vehicle. Was tased and pepper sprayed by police eventually.
— Ali Kasben (@kasbenal) April 16, 2021
In the meantime, he posted a video of himself to social media that showed he had two black eyes and implied that he had been the victim of police brutality.
When the lab results came back, Jones was re-arrested and charged with four counts of resisting and obstructing a police officer, operating a vehicle with a high blood alcohol content, operating while intoxicated, reckless driving, and possession of a weapon while under the influence of alcohol, The Detroit News reported.
Lawmaker Jewell Jones expected to be charged on a slew of charges today at 3:30..this is the press release from the Livington County Prosecutors Office @FOX2News pic.twitter.com/YW1bCXvtRo
— Jessica Dupnack (@JDupnackFOX2) April 16, 2021
Jones, a member of the National Guard and the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), is also an auxiliary police officer in Inkster.
The lawmaker and his attorney, Ali Hammoud, refused to comment on the contents of the police report and how it differed from Jones’ account of the incident, The Detroit News reported.
Holly Matkin
