The Indiana State Police arrested Indiana Rep. Jim Lucas, R-District 69, Wednesday morning for allegedly driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident after crashing his vehicle on I-65.
Lucas was booked in the Jackson County jail at 3:46 a.m. Wednesday on preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. Lucas’ bond was set at $705, which he posted around 8 a.m. Wednesday morning.
The Indiana State Police said toxicology results are still pending, according to the Indiana Capital Chronicle.
According to WRTV, the Indiana State Police confirmed Lucas crashed his vehicle on I-65 around midnight. Lucas then left the scene of the crash — which occurred north of Seymour, Indiana — in his vehicle. The Seymour Police Department found Lucas outside of his vehicle at a different location shortly after and located his vehicle nearby.
[Related: Indiana introduces firearm safety bills for 2023 legislative session]
According to WTHR, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb said it will be up to the Indiana General Assembly to decide if Lucas should continue to serve as a state representative and that he “won’t pre-judge the outcome before he’s offered his day in court.”
Lucas, who represents portions of Bartholomew, Jackson, Washington and Scott counties, has served as a Indiana State Representative since 2012. During this past legislative session, Lucas authored House Bill 1177, which creates state-funded firearm training for teachers, school staff and employees. The bill was signed by Gov. Holcomb May 4.
Lucas has faced criticism for his social media posts in recent years. In 2020, Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston removed Lucas from two committee positions and a leadership role after the state representative posted a meme that many criticized as racist on Facebook.
