Lancaster politician running for Nebraska legislature – Brent Smoyer DUI

From Lincoln Journal Star

04/26/2014 — Lancaster County Board member Brent T. Smoyer, a candidate for the state Legislature, was picked up for driving under the influence early Friday morning.

Smoyer, 32, was stopped by University of Nebraska-Lincoln police at 16th and Q streets at 2:19 a.m., according to an incident report.

An officer saw Smoyer’s black Mazda CX9 make an illegal right turn at the intersection’s red light, Assistant Chief Charlotte Evans said.

The officer smelled alcohol on Smoyer’s breath, and he admitted he had been drinking, she said.

Smoyer then appeared impaired during a field sobriety test and failed a breath test, which indicated his blood alcohol content was .095 percent, police said. The legal limit to drive is .08 percent.

Smoyer told the Journal Star on Monday he was celebrating the end of the legislative session with some beers before switching to water near the end of the night.

When he got in his car, Smoyer said Monday afternoon, he “felt phenomenal.”

His friends thought he was OK to drive, he said.

“It’s embarrassing,” he said. “I’m ashamed. It was an honest mistake.

“But the fact remains, I was over the limit — so sayeth the law.”

The incident doesn’t reflect on his leadership capabilities and he hopes others also learn from his lapse in judgment, he said.

“I apologize and take full responsibility for my actions on Friday morning,” he said later Monday in a written statement. “I have let down both my constituents and my family. I will accept the penalty the court gives me and I ….MORE

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