The chief of staff for Rep. Vance McAllister (R-La.) was arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated (DWI) Friday night, according to local media reports.
An affidavit from the Richland Parish Sheriff’s Department posted on MyArkLaMiss.com said that police charged Gregory Adam Terry with a DWI and improper lane use after he was arrested just after 11 p.m. The officer wrote in the affidavit that he “could smell a very strong odor commonly associated with an alcoholic beverage” and that he arrested Terry after he “performed poorly” on a field sobriety test.
{mosads}The officer also said that he found a Styrofoam cup filled with alcohol that had been poured out in the back seat, as well as two pints of Jack Daniel’s whiskey, one full and one empty.
“I’m disappointed in Adam,” McAllister said in a statement. “I do not condone his behavior, but I know he’s a good person and he’s worked hard for the people of Louisiana. Right now, he is at home with his family in the district and we want to make sure he gets the help he needs.”
The freshman lawmaker faced pressure to resign his seat earlier this year after a video surfaced of him kissing a married staff member. McAllister initially announced he would retire after this term, but changed his mind and is now running for reelection.
While his district is largely expected to stay in the hands of the GOP, he’s still in a tight competition to keep his seat. The Louisiana general election includes the entire field. If no one secures more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two candidates go to a runoff election in December.
A recent poll published Sunday showed that McAllister led the race by 6 points but was well short of securing a majority.