Ohio Rep. arrested for improper use of firearm and driving impaired

Ohio Rep. Wes Retherford was arrested Sunday, March 12th on charges of operating a vehicle while impaired, and improperly handling a firearm. The OVI charge is a misdemeanor whereas the firearm charge is a 4th degree felony under Ohio law. This third term Ohio Senator was booked into the Butler County Jail at 7:43am on Sunday.

(Wes Retherford. Source - WHIO)

As WHIO reported Retherford attended the Butler County GOP Lincoln Day Dinner at the Oscar Event Center in Fairfield. During that event, Retherford told several attendees that he planned to go to The Grandstand, a bar and grill in Liberty Twp., after the dinner.

During his video arraignment, Retherford held his head down. Retherford's attorney attempted to have him released on his own recognizance. Bond was set at $2,500 and his next court date is March 15th at 1pm.

This is not Retherford's first run in with alcohol related issues. As the Journal-News reported, Retherford was once ordered to remove his liquor cabinet from his office at the Statehouse.

As of now, Wes Retherford is still the Republican Representative of Hamilton, Ohio. A spokesman for Ohio House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, said [if] a legislator convicted of a felony is immediately removed from office.

As more information on this case comes in, we will continue to update this article.

(Article by TRBT Editorial Staff)

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