Lawmaker passed out at McDonald’s
State Rep. Wes Retherford was found passed out in his vehicle at a McDonald’s drive-thru with a loaded firearm Sunday morning.
Retherford, 32, of Hamilton, is accused of driving while intoxicated to the McDonald’s and having a loaded firearm in the seat of his vehicle, according to the Butler County sheriff’s office.
The Republican lawmaker faces charges of improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle, a felony, and operating a vehicle while under the influence, a first-degree misdemeanor. He was still being held in the Butler County jail as of Sunday afternoon, according to the jail’s website.
Retherford’s arrest came the morning after the Butler County GOP’s Lincoln Day Dinner, which Retherford attended along with several other state lawmakers and 2018 statewide contenders.
“While it is wise to be patient and allow the legal process to work itself through, our Party is obviously disappointed at the first reports concerning State Representative Wes Retherford’s actions early this morning,” Butler County GOP Chairman Todd Hall said in a statement.
Retherford was recently re-elected by more than 30 percentage points over his Democratic challenger in a district that includes Hamilton, Fairfield and Ross Township and part of Fairfield, Hanover, and St. Clair townships.
Retherford also defeated former Rep. Courtney Combs in the GOP primary even after the Butler County Republican Party endorsed Combs. During the primary, Combs accused Retherford of having a partying problem in Columbus. Speaker Cliff Rosenberger asked Retherford multiple times to remove a drink cart in Retherford’s office because having one violated House rules.