Pages

Saturday, 24 April 2021

'I run your budget bro!' Michigan's youngest ever lawmaker, 26, 'threatens to call governor on cops after crashing his car while drunk - and then gets pepper sprayed while resisting arrest'

 A Michigan state lawmaker threatened to call Governor Gretchen Whitmer on cops who arrested him after he crashed his car while drunk, according to a police report.

Rep. Jewell Jones, 26, is accused of driving at twice the drink-drive limit with a loaded gun in his cup holder when he crashed his black Chevy into a ditch on the side of I-96 in Fowlerville, about 65 miles outside of Detroit. 

He allegedly taunted state troopers who responded to the scene on April 6, telling them he ran their budget, and was pepper sprayed and tasered twice while resisting arrest, police say. 


'I’m telling you if you do, it's not going to be good for you. I run y’all budget bro,' Jones told police, according to the police report. 

Jones made history in 2016 by becoming the youngest-ever member of the Michigan House at the age of 21.

Michigan State Police received multiple calls shortly before 6pm on April 6 about a black Chevy with a vanity license plate 'elected' speeding and driving erratically.

Michigan State Police received multiple calls shortly before 6pm on April 6 about a black Chevy with a vanity license plate 'elected' speeding and driving erratically. 

Rep. Jewell Jones, 26, became the youngest ever member of the Michigan House in 2016.
Jones had to be pepper sprayed twice during the confrontation, according to the police report. He is pictured in his police mug shot

Rep. Jewell Jones made history in 2016 as the youngest elected official in the Michigan House. He is pictured left, in an official picture, and right, in his police mug shot

Shortly before 6pm on April 6, state troopers received multiple calls about a black Chevy with a vanity license plate reading 'ELECTED' which was speeding and driving erratically on I-96. 

At 6:09pm, police and EMS say they responded to a crash involving the same truck.

The responding officer said in the police report, obtained by DailyMail.com, that the driver, later identified as Jones, appeared to be 'highly intoxicated.' 

His speech was slurred and 'his eyes were red bloodshot and glassy and his fine motor skills were poor,' police said in the report. 

The officer tried to talk to Jones, but he didn't want to speak to the officer; instead walked past him to get into the ambulance, according to the report. 

He continued to ignore officers' demands, and became increasingly agitated, according to police. 

Officers used a stun gun and pepper spray to subdue him. 

'I don't give a f**k bro, when I call (Michigan Governor) Gretchen (Whitmer), I'll need y'all ID's, badge numbers, everything,' Jones told police after they used the stun gun, according to the police report. 

Jones is serving his third term in the Michigan House, which ends on Dec. 31, 2022, but he can't run again because of term limits. He is a member of the National Guard and Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps, and an auxiliary officer in Inkster, Michigan, where he lives.

Jones is serving his third term in the Michigan House, which ends on Dec. 31, 2022, but he can't run again because of term limits. He is a member of the National Guard and Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps, and an auxiliary officer in Inkster, Michigan, where he lives.

Jones continued to actively resist by refusing 'to comply with the simple verbal command of releasing his left arm,' police said in the report. 

'I'm not giving you my arm unless you shoot me. You shoot me, I'll get up,' Jones allegedly told police, according to the police report. 

It took at least three officers to put the cuffs on Jones. Throughout the confrontation, he allegedly continued to taunt the officers. 

'If you strike me it's going to be bad for you, if you hit me it's going to be very bad for you. I'll call Governor Whitmer right now,' Jones said, according to the police report. 

Jones was pepper sprayed and Tased twice by police.

Jones was pepper sprayed and Tased twice by police. 

He also allegedly pushed an emergency medical technician in the chest, according to the report. 

Jones' blood alcohol content was 0.19, more than double the the legal driving limit of 0.08, according to the report. 

During the arrest, police found a loaded .40-caliber Glock handgun in the cup holder in the center console, according to the report. 

Jones was ultimately charged with resisting and obstructing a police officer, operating a motor vehicle with a high blood alcohol content, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, possession of a weapon while under the influence of alcohol and reckless driving. 

He was virtually arraigned on April 16. 

Carolyn Henry, Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney at Livingston County, said Jones was 'combative and confrontational.' 

Around the time of his arraignment, he posted a message on his Instagram expressing his confidence that God will protect him, the Detroit Free Press reported.

'This last week has literally been the craziest week I've ever had ... as a civilian,' Jones said.

But because of his religious faith, 'even now, in the midst of so much confusion, I find peace,' he said, according to the Detroit Free Press.

The post appears to have since been deleted. 

Jones said in an Instagram post, 'even now, in the midst of so much confusion, I find peace,' he said, according to the Detroit Free Press. The post appears to have since been deleted.

Jones said in an Instagram post, 'even now, in the midst of so much confusion, I find peace,' he said, according to the Detroit Free Press. The post appears to have since been deleted. 

Jones, far right, virtually appeared in court for his arraignment with his lawyers on April 16.

Jones, far right, virtually appeared in court for his arraignment with his lawyers on April 16. 

Jones' lawyer, Ali Hammoud, told the Detroit Free Press that Jones is presumed innocent. 

Hammoud told the Detroit newspaper that he could not comment on the details cited in the police reports because he was still reviewing evidence. 

Jones is serving his third term in the Michigan House, which ends on Dec. 31, 2022, but he can't run again because of term limits.

He is a member of the National Guard and Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps, and an auxiliary officer in Inkster, Michigan, where he lives. 

In the Legislature, Jones is Democratic vice chairman of the House Military, Veterans and Homeland Security Committee.  

No comments:

Post a Comment