Kansas lawmaker arrested on suspicion of DUI, the fourth arrested in less than a year

Kansas Rep. Suzi Carlson was arrested Monday night on suspicion of driving under the influence and briefly booked into jail, according to law enforcement records.

The Clay Center Republican was booked into the Shawnee County Detention Center at 11 p.m. and released 2:15 a.m. A daily booking log lists two warrants, one for a DUI of .08 or greater and another for failure to maintain a single lane. Bond amounts of $1,000 are listed for both allegations.

Carlson, a retired municipal judge, joined the Legislature in 2019. She is a rank-and-file member holding no leadership posts.

“We do not have any additional information right now, but we expect local law enforcement to provide more details once they’ve completed their review,” House Speaker Ron Ryckman, an Olathe Republican, said in a statement.

Carlson, 69, is the fourth legislator arrested in the past year, following Rep. Aaron Coleman, a Kansas City Democrat, Sen. Gene Suellentrop, a Wichita Republican, and Rep. Mark Samsel, a Wellsville Republican.

Suellentrop and Coleman were arrested over suspicion of DUI, though Coleman was ultimately not charged with a DUI offense. Coleman is facing a domestic battery charge in a separate incident, however. Suellentrop pleaded guilty to DUI and reckless driving after driving the wrong way down Interstate 70 in Topeka.

Samsel pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct after he allegedly kicked a student in the groin while substitute teaching. All three remain in office.

Few details about Carlson’s arrest were immediately available. The legislator wasn’t in her Capitol office early Tuesday afternoon and didn’t answer a call.

In a news release, the Topeka Police department said they arrested Carlson after stopping her car for traffic infractions at SW 14th Street and Topeka Boulevard.

An investigation and testing, police said, revealed Carlson was driving under the influence of alcohol.

A formal court record hadn’t been created as of early Tuesday afternoon, but the log lists a March 1 court date.

Carlson, who represents House District 64, ran unopposed in the 2018 general election. She narrowly won the Republican primary, beating her opponent 52.79% to 47.21%.

Her campaign website says she has served as a judge in Clay Center, Wakefield, Longford and Miltonvale.