SC senator ticketed for public intoxication New Year’s Day by Lexington police
A South Carolina senator was arrested and ticketed New Year’s Day for public intoxication by the Lexington Police Department.
State Sen. Tom Davis released a statement Sunday night that said the Beaufort Republican, soon after leaving a social gathering where alcohol was consumed, “recognized he should not be driving.”
The statement said Davis, 62, pulled his car into a nearby parking lot, turned it off and sat in his car for more than an hour. Davis was approached by an officer with the Lexington Police Department, who ticketed him early Sunday for public intoxication, the statement said.
Davis, who was not charged with driving under the influence, “cooperated immediately, fully and completely,” the statement said.
“I am ashamed and embarrassed by what happened last night and I want to say I’m sorry to my family and to my constituents. I’m not going to deflect or excuse this mistake,” Davis said in a statement. “Instead, I am going to learn from it and move forward with a greater sense of responsibility.”
He added, “I look forward to the opportunity to prove to my family and my constituents that I have learned from this mistake.”
Davis has referred all questions to his attorneys, Strom Law Firm’s Pete Strom and Alexandra Benevento.
Strom told The State Monday Davis was arrested and appeared before a magistrate, then released on a $1,000 personal recognizance bond on the condition that he appear for future court proceedings.
A spokesman for the Lexington Police Department confirmed Sunday that Davis was arrested by police for public intoxication, but said they did not have additional details at the time.
An attorney, Davis represents Senate District 46, which covers parts of Beaufort and Jasper counties. He was first elected to the upper chamber in 2008, previously serving in former Gov. Mark Sanford’s administration where he held a handful of positions, including senior policy advisor and chief of staff.
Davis, who chairs the Senate Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee, was last elected to the Senate in 2020.
Last year, Davis pushed a proposal to legalize certain forms of marijuana for medical use. Though unsuccessful after a House procedural move, Davis has vowed to renew the effort. This fall, Davis joined Senate Democrats to block a near-total abortion ban. The Senate instead voted to tweak the state’s six-week ban after Republicans sought to ban abortions at conception with narrow exceptions — a push that resulted in the bill’s failure.
Reporter John Monk contributed to this report.
This story was originally published January 1, 2023 at 8:13 PM.
