LIVONIA, Mich. – Michigan Representative Mary Cavanagh pleaded guilty Wednesday to a drunk driving charge after being arrested in Livonia in February.
According to the 16th District Court, the Democratic state lawmaker pled guilty to an operating while intoxicated (OWI) first offense charge in connection with an arrest on the night of Feb. 25 in the Livonia area.
Livonia police said that Cavanagh was swerving on I-96 that night with two flat tires on the driver’s side of the vehicle. An officer followed the rep. from Merriman Road to Schoolcraft Road, then to the freeway, where she reportedly began swerving between the right and center lanes.
Authorities shared police body camera footage last week, showing Cavanagh getting stopped by police, taking sobriety tests and ultimately getting arrested.
See more: Body cam footage shows Michigan Rep. Mary Cavanagh’s drunk driving arrest
During the traffic stop, the representative took a breathalyzer test and reportedly blew a 0.17 -- the legal limit is 0.08. Then, later, a blood test revealed that Cavanagh’s blood alcohol level was 0.20, officials said.
According to police, this is Cavanagh’s second OWI offense.
Last week, the state lawmaker shared the following message to her Instagram account regarding the latest arrest.
“Dear Neighbor,
“I am writing you to ask for forgiveness, give a little clarity as to what is happening, and assurances that I will continue to serve you with the highest of integrity. All of this comes with a deep apology for my arrest and creating a distraction to my community and my colleagues, as we continue the hard and tireless work of service to the people.
“As I work with my attorneys to bring closure to the legal and court aspects of this matter, know that within time, I will address and provide you with a comprehensive understanding of how I got here and where I intend to go with all of this. Clearly, there is so much to say about this incident, but that will come at a later time. I ask for your patience through these court proceedings.
“What I can offer you is the very real truth that addiction is a hard road to travel. It is a road that may get easier with education, counseling and treatment, all of those which I am fully engaged, but it is a road that requires discipline and determination and, most of all, my faith.
“I am here to serve you. I will never forget that. In my service to you, I am accountable to you. I assure you, if you grant me a little grace, I will use all the energy and fiber of my being to regain your trust and show you that I am fit to serve the community and the people that have shown me love and those whose hearts I want to capture. Bowed, but not broken.
“Your servant, your state rep. Mary.”
Mary Cavanagh on Instagram
Previously: Michigan Rep. Mary Cavanagh faces drunken driving charge following arrest in Livonia