In the early hours of Tuesday morning in Austin, State Sen. Charles Schwertner, a Georgetown Republican, was arrested by Austin police for allegedly driving while intoxicated.
Schwertner, who has served in the Texas Senate for 10 years, was arrested at 2:12 a.m. and brought to the Travis County Jail, according to records from the Travis County Sheriff’s office.
Early in the afternoon, Schwertner was released from jail on a no-cash personal recognizance bond. Upon release, Schwertner told a Fox 7 News reporter he was “deeply sorry” and “apologetic” to his constituents and family, adding that he “made a mistake.”
Schwertner is the chairman of the Senate’s Business and Commerce Committee, which was scheduled to hold a hearing on the state’s power grid at 11 a.m. today. The Vice Chair of the Committee, State Sen. Phil King (R–Weatherford), oversaw the meeting instead.
Last session, former State Rep. Dan Huberty was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated after he rear-ended another vehicle while at a stoplight. He did not seek re-election, instead opening up a bar and cafe in downtown Austin catering to lawmakers, lobbyists, and reporters.
As of publishing, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Schwertner’s office had not responded to requests for comment from Texas Scorecard.
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