Michigan Rep. Mary Cavanagh faces sentencing on drunk driving charge

State lawmaker pleaded guilty to OWI charge in April

LIVONIA, Mich. – Michigan state Rep. Mary Cavanagh is set to be sentenced Friday on a drunk driving charge out of Livonia in February.

UPDATE: Michigan Rep. Mary Cavanagh gets probation, must pay fines for drunk driving charge

The Redford Township representative pleaded guilty in April to an operating while intoxicated (OWI) first offense charge in connection with an arrest on the night of Feb. 25 in the Livonia area.

On that night, Livonia police said that Cavanagh was swerving on I-96 with two flat tires on the driver’s side of the vehicle. An officer followed the rep. from Merriman Road to Schoolcraft Road, then to the freeway, where she reportedly began swerving between the right and center lanes.

Authorities shared police body camera footage last month, showing Cavanagh getting stopped by police, taking sobriety tests and ultimately getting arrested.

See more: Body cam footage shows Michigan Rep. Mary Cavanagh’s drunk driving arrest

Michigan Rep. Mary Cavanagh

During the traffic stop, the representative took a breathalyzer test and reportedly blew a 0.17 -- the legal limit is 0.08. Then, later, a blood test revealed that Cavanagh’s blood alcohol level was 0.20, officials said.

According to police, this is Cavanagh’s second OWI offense.

Cavanagh pleaded guilty to this latest charge in the 16th District Court on April 13. Cavanagh says this arrest is a wake up call.

The lawmaker faces up to three months in jail, and has agreed to enter into treatment after Friday’s 10:30 a.m. sentencing. She has not been stripped of any committee positions, nor has she been asked to leave her seat in the Michigan House.

Cavanagh is the third Michigan state lawmaker to face a drunk driving charge in the span of a year.

Following the charge, the state lawmaker shared the following message to her Instagram account, apologizing for the incident.

“Dear Neighbor,

“I am writing you to ask for forgiveness, give a little clarity as to what is happening, and assurances that I will continue to serve you with the highest of integrity. All of this comes with a deep apology for my arrest and creating a distraction to my community and my colleagues, as we continue the hard and tireless work of service to the people.

“As I work with my attorneys to bring closure to the legal and court aspects of this matter, know that within time, I will address and provide you with a comprehensive understanding of how I got here and where I intend to go with all of this. Clearly, there is so much to say about this incident, but that will come at a later time. I ask for your patience through these court proceedings.

“What I can offer you is the very real truth that addiction is a hard road to travel. It is a road that may get easier with education, counseling and treatment, all of those which I am fully engaged, but it is a road that requires discipline and determination and, most of all, my faith.

“I am here to serve you. I will never forget that. In my service to you, I am accountable to you. I assure you, if you grant me a little grace, I will use all the energy and fiber of my being to regain your trust and show you that I am fit to serve the community and the people that have shown me love and those whose hearts I want to capture. Bowed, but not broken.

“Your servant, your state rep. Mary.”

Mary Cavanagh on Instagram

About the Author:

Cassidy Johncox is a senior digital news editor covering stories across the spectrum, with a special focus on politics and community issues.