ADA TOWNSHIP, Mich — Dash camera footage was released to FOX 17 Thursday, showing the April 30th arrest of State Representative, Bryan Posthumus.
According to the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, that evening, the 36-year-old Republican went off the road at McCabe Avenue near 4-Mile Road in Ada Township, hit a mailbox, and rolled his vehicle several times.
In the footage, during a conversation with deputies, Posthumus is seen on camera initially not telling them the truth about the crash, saying he was distracted.
"And you told the firefighters that you were on your phone and that is why you crashed?" asked deputies in the video, and Posthumus responded "I looked at my phone yeah." He went on to tell deputies he glanced at a notification on his phone and noticed his car veering.
Posthumus then said on video he had drank one beer that day.
Later in the footage, deputies are seen administering sobriety tests, including having Posthumus walk a line. A breathalyzer then determined his blood alcohol level was .12 at the time, which is above Michigan's limit of .08. At that point, he was placed under arrest for Operating While Intoxicated.
The following day, Posthumus admitted to drunk driving in a press release sent to media outlets.
The lawmaker later told FOX 17 in an interview that he is aware that he has a problem with alcohol.
“I made a mistake. I messed up. I acknowledge that. I acknowledge I have a drinking problem. I accept full and complete responsibility for my actions,” Posthumus said during an interview May 6. “I know that I not only let myself down, I let my family down. I let my friends down, and I let the people of Michigan down.”
According to his driving record obtained through the Secretary of State's Office, Posthumus has one previous OWI conviction from January 12, 2013. His license was suspended from April 26, 2013 to May 25, 2013, and then remained restricted until October 22, 2013.
Posthumus also has several minor speeding tickets from 2007 to 2009; a number of infractions for no proof of insurance and registration violations; and one other crash dated November 16, 2018, involving two other cars. No injuries were reported in that crash, though Posthumus admitted to not having proof of insurance at the time of that crash.
Pothumus has said he is seeking help for his drinking through Alcoholics Anonymous, and also said he had no plans to resign.
