Pennsylvania Democrat Under House Arrest After Driving Drunk

Pennsylvania Rep. John Galloway, D-Bucks, rubs his eyes as he sits in front of his laptop
AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

A Pennsylvania Democrat is serving a month of house arrest after pleading guilty to driving drunk, reports said.

Police said they were called after Rep. John Galloway, 59, who serves Bucks County, rear-ended another vehicle in a McDonald’s drive-thru in Swatara Township on May 14.

Reports revealed that this is Galloway’s second drunk driving arrest since 2011 when he was taken into custody after running a stop sign and failing a field sobriety test.

In a statement at the time, Galloway said he realized he needed to get help for his problem and promised to take the necessary steps toward recovery.

The statement continued:

I recognize that I have a problem. I should have recognized the problem the first time. I will seek treatment and will enter a rehab program as soon as possible. There are no excuses here. I apologize to my family and friends and to everyone in Bucks County who I am honored to represent. I will accept the consequences.

“His previous arrest was resolved by his participation in a diversion program designed for first-time, nonviolent offenders, so the May violation counts as his second offense,” according to PennLive.com.

Galloway did participate in a month-long inpatient program in July and August, according to reports.

Upon his arrest in May, police found that Galloway had a blood alcohol level of around .16.

“That puts him in the highest BAC category—though according to his court record, the lawmaker pleaded to a lesser charge and was sentenced for having a BAC in the middle range,” according to WSKG.

In addition to a month of house arrest, Galloway was sentenced to five months’ probation. His license was also suspended, and he must do 50 hours of community service and participate in a safe driving program.

“I apologize for what happened and I look forward to putting that behind me,” he told reporters during a phone interview on Tuesday.

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