Reports: Ward 2 Jackson Councilwoman Angelique Lee was charged with DUI last year
Ward 2 Councilwoman and Vice President Angelique Lee is expected to get a DUI charge expunged from her record, according to a WLBT report.
According to the report, Lee was arrested on June 16, 2023 after being pulled over by an officer with the Madison Police Department who followed her after smelling marijuana.
Lee was not immediately available for comment.
Madison Officer Brian Chism pulled Lee over on I-55 North after seeing her cross over lanes. He reported he smelled marijuana coming out of Lee's car. He also reported he found an orange pill bottle with marijuana residue.
The officer reported Lee failed a "finger-to-the-nose" field sobriety test. She missed her nose three times. Thirty minutes of dash cam and body footage was reviewed by WLBT though it did not show Lee falling that test. City officials say they are looking into the footage, WLBT reported.
Lee submitted to several sobriety tests and was taken to the Madison Police Station. She was released on a $1,500 bond.
According to a copy of the incident report obtained by WLBT, Lee admitted she had been smoking. She told the officer she was attending the National League of Cities National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials' Summer Conference with other elected officials. The event was held in Jackson that summer.
Lee was charged with one count of DUI-Other, and possession of paraphernalia. She waived her right to a trial and pleaded guilty in August, WLBT reported. Lee was eligible and agreed to participate in a non-adjudication program because she was a first-time offender
She was required to pay a fine of $688 and $250 in court costs. She attended a victim impact panel and the Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program. Lee was court-mandated to submit to drug tests for 120 days and she was allowed to drive as long she continued to comply with the court order.
After completing those requirements, a judge signed off on an order on Feb. 8 and agreed to remand her case to the file.
WLBT reported that Lee apologized for the incident, saying:
“I sincerely apologize to the constituents of Ward 2 for any disappointment that my decisions that night may have caused. This (has) been a true learning experience for me, and a cautionary tale for others as we matriculate through the legalization of marijuana, that the odor will carry on your person, clothes, and vehicle, and you too, can easily be charged with DUI other.”
Lee is the second member of the Jackson City Council to face DUI charges in the last year. Council President Aaron Banks faced a DUI charge in January. He later announced he would fight the charge. He had no comment after pleading not guilty. According to court documents, Banks' blood alcohol level was 0.16, twice the legal limit.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson, MS Councilwoman charged with marijuana related DUI last year
