Watch arrest of Michigan lawmaker charged with ‘super drunk’ driving
UPDATE 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 3rd, 2015 (EST) — MLive.com has released the video of State Representative John Kivela’s arrest for drunk driving from earlier in November.
Warning: This video contains adult language.
Kivela was charged under Michigan’s ‘Super Drunk’ laws, after nearly hitting another car while allegedly intoxicated, speeding at 80 miles an hour, and swerving in and out of lanes, according to the prosecutor.
He was planning to return to the state capitol this week when he suffered an unrelated medical emergency while attending a city commission meeting. According to his Facebook page, after the meeting Monday, he began to feel weak. Doctors discovered internal blood loss linked to an artery at a former surgical incision.
Although losing a lot of blood, according to a spokesperson, the two term State Representative is expected to recover.
UPDATE 8:55 p.m. Friday, November 20, 2015 (EST) — According to the Detroit Free Press, the prosecutor charging State Representative John Kivela said Kivela had an open bottle of whiskey in his truck before his arrest. Reportedly, he was speeding at 80 miles per hour, swerving in and out of lanes and was confused about where he was coming from. He is said to have begged for leniency when stopped.
Kivela has been charged under the state’s “super drunk” law. Click here to read more.
LANSING — An Upper Peninsula lawmaker is in trouble with the law after he was arrested last night for drunk driving.
According to the Detroit Free Press, State Rep. John Kivela (D-Marquette) was arrested for driving under the influence just outside of Lansing.
The 46–year–old Kivela said in a statement, “I am truly sorry to my wife, family, and constituents for letting them down.”
Kivela added that he’s battled with alcoholism for most of his adult life and he plans on seeking treatment immediately.
ABC 10 reached out to Kivela’s office in Lansing this afternoon. We were told there would be no further comment at this time.
Kivela is in his second term as a representative in the state house.