A Louisiana lawmaker is facing criminal charges after striking a concrete barrier while allegedly driving impaired with his three children in the vehicle, state police said on Wednesday.
Rep. Kyle M. Green Jr., a Democrat who represents a portion of south Louisiana’s Jefferson Parish, has been charged with a first-offense of driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor punishable by fines, jail time or a license suspension in the event of a conviction.
He also was charged with three counts of child endangerment and traffic violations.
Louisiana State Police said officers responded to a crash around 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday after Green allegedly “ran off the roadway” and struck a concrete barrier in the sprawling suburban parish outside New Orleans. Green and his children were not injured, the police statement said.
While interacting with the lawmaker, officers said they noticed signs of impairment, according to the statement. Following a field sobriety test, Green was arrested. Green refused to submit to a breathalyzer test.
The lawmaker did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment from The Associated Press.
The second-term lawmaker was first elected in 2019 and is currently in the midst of Louisiana’s 2025 Legislative Session.
Under Louisiana law, legislators are “privileged” from arrest under certain circumstances during their session, including if they are driving to or from committee meetings.