Video footage has emerged showing the moment Texas Senator Charles Schwertner was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.

The politician was pulled over with State Rep. Claudia Ordaz D-El Paso just before 1am on February 7.

He was eventually arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and initially said he had ‘made a mistake’.

The charge was later dropped because there was ‘not enough evidence’ according to the Texas Tribune. Travis County Attorney Delilah Garza also told the outlet that Schwertner, who was involved in a sexting scandal in 2018, ‘voluntarily submitted to alcohol counseling and alcohol monitoring with no violations.’ 

Now bodycam footage has emerged showing the senator failing to complete a field sobriety test.

The video shows Austin police pulling up behind the senator’s SUV. An officer approaches the vehicle and says: ‘The reason I stopped you is you were splitting two lanes, you were driving in between two lanes.’

Georgetown Republican Sen. Charles Schwertner was arrested earlier this year on suspicion of drunk driving

Georgetown Republican Sen. Charles Schwertner was arrested earlier this year on suspicion of drunk driving

Georgetown Republican Sen. Charles Schwertner was arrested earlier this year on suspicion of drunk driving

The senator, accompanied by Ordaza, apologizes and says: ‘Oh I’m sorry, we were switching channels and stuff. I apologize,’ while gesturing to his car’s console.

The officer reminds him to keep his hands on the steering wheel and asks where they have been.

Schwertner says he had been picking Ordaz up from the airport before they went to dinner at Whataburger and that they have pulled up outside her home.

The officer then asks the senator for his license details and reiterates his concern that he had been drifting between two lanes.

Belinda then says: ‘These lanes are honestly terrible’, before the officer asks if they are blaming the size of the lanes for the senator’s driving.

Belinda replies that they are ‘super narrow’, but the officer says: ‘Y’all were taking up the whole street pretty much, I have it on camera you were driving the middle of the two lanes.’

The couple says they were unaware and apologizes again before the officer asks if they have had even a single drink, to which they both say no.

After reviewing the documentation the officer asks the senator to step out of the vehicle.

Schwertner was forced to perform a series of field sobriety tests after officers smelled a 'strong' alcoholic smell coming off him after he was pulled over

Schwertner was forced to perform a series of field sobriety tests after officers smelled a 'strong' alcoholic smell coming off him after he was pulled over

Schwertner was forced to perform a series of field sobriety tests after officers smelled a ‘strong’ alcoholic smell coming off him after he was pulled over

The senator eventually managed to walk in a straight line after the Austin police officer repeated the instructions several times

The senator eventually managed to walk in a straight line after the Austin police officer repeated the instructions several times

The senator eventually managed to walk in a straight line after the Austin police officer repeated the instructions several times

He says: ‘So here is the deal, I have a strong smell of alcohol coming from your breath and you told me didn’t drink anything, so you lied to me  because there is a strong smell coming from you and the way you were driving is consistent with someone who has been drinking. So let’s try it again, how many drinks have you had tonight?’

Schwertner replies: ‘I haven’t had anything to drink sir. I have not had anything to drink.’ 

But the officer remains unconvinced and informs the senator he will have to perform a series of tests to prove his sobriety, before conducting a search for any weapons.

He asks Schwertner to approximate the time and his location without looking at his watch and the senator manages to state both. 

The officer asks him to rate his intoxication on a scale of zero to ten and the senator insists he is at a zero, adding ‘I’m sober’.

Next he asks the senator to walk along the straight line of a parking bay, however the senator appears to have trouble understanding and the officer must repeat his instructions several times before he completes the exercise.

The final test sees the senator asked to stand on one leg until the officer tells him to stop. 

He shakily lifts his right leg up before wobbling and placing it back down and asking the cop to repeat his instruction.

Married father-of-three Schwertner initially said he had 'made a mistake' after being released from Travis County Jail

Married father-of-three Schwertner initially said he had 'made a mistake' after being released from Travis County Jail

Married father-of-three Schwertner initially said he had ‘made a mistake’ after being released from Travis County Jail

The officer obliges and he tries again but this time can only hold the pose for a couple of seconds before placing his foot back down. 

By this point the cop warns him he will only repeat the instruction once more. The senator tries again, but stops after just six seconds and before he has been told to.

At this point he begins to argue with the officer about how long the exercise is taking. He asks ‘Will that be enough? Is that sufficient?’

The officer informs him it is not and he sighs and says: ‘I’ve done it how many times now? I’ve walked in a straight line, I’ve done what you asked me to multiple times.’

The cop reminds him that he has had four attempts at standing on one leg and says, ‘you need to understand what we are asking you to do, will you please go ahead and do that?’

Schwertner holds the pose for eight seconds this time before putting his foot down and asking, ‘Are you done now officer?’

He is told again that he has failed to follow the instructions. At this point Schwertner accuses the police officer of conducting ‘an interrogation’.

He says: ‘I’ve followed your instructions, I’ve done both exercises, have you made your determination? May I go?’

The senator was handcuffed and placed into the back of a police car before asking if he could ride up front

The senator was handcuffed and placed into the back of a police car before asking if he could ride up front

The senator was handcuffed and placed into the back of a police car before asking if he could ride up front

The officer asks if he is done with the exercise and explains again he must maintain the pose until he is told to stop.

But the senator fumes: ‘I feel like a trained seal, you’re acting inappropriately and you’re being an individual that is not..’

A second officer explains they are simply following protocol. Schwertner is allowed a final attempt, but once again fails to hold his leg up until the police tell him to release it.

He is then walked to the cop car and they explain that he is not being treated any differently to any other traffic stop.

The police then offer a ‘completely voluntary’ preliminary breathalyzer test before explaining it is not admissible in court or usable in any arrest decision.

But the senator declines and is immediately arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

His hands are pinned behind his back and handcuffed while police conduct a more thorough search, including emptying out his boots.

Police inform the senator he will be taken to Travis County jail before placing him into a cop car. Schwertner asks if he can be allowed to sit in the front of the vehicle but the officers decline and explain he must go in the back.

The senator claimed the reason he might have been drifting between lanes was because he was changing the channel in his car

The senator claimed the reason he might have been drifting between lanes was because he was changing the channel in his car

The senator claimed the reason he might have been drifting between lanes was because he was changing the channel in his car

He sighs again and says: ‘I have done so much for you guys’. The officers say they appreciate it, but state once again they are just following protocol. 

The rest of the clip shows Schwertner interacting with police including having his handcuffs adjusted after complaining they were too tight.

The video ends with him being taken to jail, where he was released later the same day and told reporters he ‘made a mistake’.

Following his release the charge was dropped over concerns there was not enough evidence to secure a conviction.

Perry Minton, Schwertner’s lawyer,  told the Texas Tribune it was the ‘right decision based strictly on the evidence’ and said the video had been reviewed as part of the decision to reject charges against the senator.

Meanwhile State Rep Ordaza told the outlet: ‘I had no involvement in this matter other than being a passenger at the time of this incident and was fully cooperative with authorities at all times. I regret this incident occurred, and in the future, I will use more caution to prevent this type of unfortunate circumstance.’

Schwertner previously hit headlines in 2018 when he was caught up in a sexting scandal.  

The senator was accused of sending an image of his genitals that was taken in the shower to an unnamed woman he met at a University of Texas event.

He was giving the woman career advice over Linkedin before the two began texting and he allegedly sent the image, an accusation he denied.

Hi wife Belinda filed for divorce shortly after the story broke but the two appear to have since reconciled. 

Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk

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