Latest news with #JohnLawn
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Entitled outburst of drunk driving Dem lawmaker after smashing his huge SUV into parked car
A Massachusetts Democrat lawmaker has been arrested after he allegedly smashed his massive SUV into a parked car before trying to get away with it by reminding officers of his position. State Rep. John Lawn, 56, was arrested around 1:45am on Wednesday after witnesses said they saw him slam his GMC Yukon into a parked Toyota Tundra in Boston's Beacon Hill neighborhood before driving off. According to a Boston police report, after hitting the parked car, Lawn allegedly sped off through two stop signs around 1am, leaving the vehicle with a blown tire and deep scrapes along the side, a witness told cops. Police then tracked down the SUV nearby and identified the driver as Lawn, who they said had glassy, bloodshot eyes, was slurring his words, and appeared visibly unstable when he stepped out of the car. Officers said in their report that Lawn identified himself, saying: 'I am a state rep,' and claimed he had just come from an event at the State House. When asked to take a breathalyzer, the lawmaker allegedly refused. Instead, he boldly replied: 'You know what I'd rather do? I want to take an Uber and go home.' And when police asked whether he noticed the damage to his own vehicle, he reportedly responded: 'What damage?' After hitting the parked car (pictured, right), Lawn allegedly sped off through two stop signs around 1am, leaving the vehicle with a blown tire and deep scrapes along the side, a witness told cops Lawn also failed a series of field sobriety tests and was unable to give a urine sample once transported to the Nashua Street Jail, according to police. He even dropped his license and credit card onto the street. 'As the suspect stepped out of the vehicle, [the officer] noted that he had difficulty maintaining his balance,' the police report stated. 'As he attempted to retrieve his license from his wallet, he dropped his license and one of his credit cards on the ground.' Fragments of the bumper found at the scene of the crash were determined to match Lawn's SUV. A witness, Walter Thilly, said he heard a 'super loud bang.' 'I heard a super loud bang and just from experience I know that's usually a car accident,' Thilly told CBS News. 'I saw the car, like, kind of stuck to this white pickup truck right here. And it was almost like he was glued and then he kept trying to back out, back in, trying to get away. And then ended up just driving off.' Lawn now faces two misdemeanor charges: operating under the influence of alcohol and leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage. The case was continued without a finding at his court appearance Thursday, which means he may not be convicted if he meets certain conditions. Lawn released a statement on Wednesday shortly after the incident admitting his actions were 'completely unacceptable.' 'I deeply regret and take full responsibility for my actions. What happened was completely unacceptable. I make no excuses. I am committed to taking the necessary steps to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again,' he said. 'To my family, friends, and constituents, I have let you down, and for that I am deeply sorry.' He pleaded guilty on Thursday and was sentenced to a 45 day loss of his license, one year probation on the OUI and six months of probation on count the second charge.
CBS News
5 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Massachusetts Rep. John Lawn loses license for 45 days after drunk driving arrest
Massachusetts State Representative John Lawn will lose his license for 45 days after changing his plea in his drunk driving case. Lawn initially entered a not guilty plea at his arraignment in Boston Municipal Court Thursday morning. Then, once cameras left the courtroom, he returned and admitted to sufficient facts, which is essentially agreeing there's enough evidence for a conviction without actually pleading guilty. Lawn, a 56-year-old Democrat from Watertown, is accused of driving drunk through Beacon Hill near the State House early Wednesday morning. Police said he crashed into a parked pickup truck, drove off and then ran two stop signs. When an officer pulled him over, Lawn's eyes "were glassy and bloodshot, and his speech was slurred," according to a Boston police report. The judge told the lawmaker that he would not treat him different than any other criminal defendant. Lawn was given one year of probation for operating under the influence and six months for leaving the scene but they will run concurrently. That means he will spend one year total on probation. If Lawn reoffends during that year, his charges will turn into a conviction. The judge also revoked Lawn's driver's license for 45 days, which is standard for a first-time OUI offense. He will pay $550 in fines and undergo alcohol treatment and education. Outside the courtroom, Lawn apologized to his friends, family and constituents in a statement. "I feel terrible. I will do all I can to make sure that I live a better life, a healthier life and make sure nothing like this ever happens again," said Lawn. He then left without taking any questions from reporters. The Massachusetts Republican Party is calling on Lawn to resign. House Speaker Ron Mariano said in a statement that he was "very disappointed to learn of this news" and said Lawn told him he'll work to make sure this doesn't happen again. Lawn is the chair of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing. He was first elected in 2011.
CBS News
6 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Massachusetts State Rep. John Lawn arrested on drunk driving charge, says "I am deeply sorry"
A Massachusetts state representative arrested early Wednesday morning for allegedly driving drunk and hitting a parked car says he is "deeply sorry." Rep. John Lawn, a Watertown Democrat, is charged with operating under the influence of liquor and leaving the scene of property damage. According to a Boston police report, a witness told an officer that they saw Lawn's SUV hit a parked car on Hancock Street not far from the State House, and then run two stop signs after 1 a.m. The officer who pulled Lawn over said that he detected a "strong odor" of alcohol on Lawn's breath, according to the police report. The officer reported that Lawn's eyes "were glassy and bloodshot, and his speech was slurred." "As the suspect stepped out of the vehicle, [the officer] noted that he had difficulty maintaining his balance," the report stated. "As he attempted to retrieve his license from his wallet, he dropped his license and one of his credit cards on the ground." Lawn was handcuffed and taken to the Nashua Street Jail, the report said. It also noted that the 56-year-old needed help keeping his balance during booking at the jail. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court on Thursday. Lawn is the chair of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing. He was first elected in 2011. He released a statement about the incident on Wednesday. "I deeply regret and take full responsibility for my actions. What happened was completely unacceptable. I make no excuses," Lawn said in a statement. "I am committed to taking the necessary steps to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again. To my family, friends, and constituents, I have let you down, and for that I am deeply sorry." The Massachusetts Republican Party is calling on Lawn to resign. House Speaker Ron Mariano said in a statement that he was "very disappointed to learn of this news." "Driving under the influence is an incredibly dangerous and often deadly mistake, and I am relieved that no one was injured in this particular instance," Mariano said. "Representative Lawn has told me that he takes full responsibility for this egregious lapse in judgment, and that he will work to ensure that something like this does not happen again."
