RELATED: 911 call describes scene leading to arrest of Ohio Rep. Wes Retherford
“I messed up,” Retherford told this news outlet in his first interview about the incident. “I’m human. I learned from my mistake. I’ve made drastic changes to show that I learn.”
Retherford was arrested on suspicion of operating a vehicle while impaired and the improper handling of a firearm. The OVI was a misdemeanor charge, but the weapons charge — his loaded handgun was found in his truck’s center console — was a felony. If he had been convicted of the felony, he would have been removed from his Ohio House seat.
But a grand jury failed to indict Retherford on the felony, and in May he was found guilty and sentenced to a suspended jail sentence and two years of non-reporting probation.
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“I’ve been talking with people, and a lot of people also see that I accepted it,” he said. “I didn’t try to use my power.”
Changes in Retherford’s life since March 12, he said, include not consuming alcohol since.
“I haven’t had a drink since that night at all. Not even at home in the privacy of my own house,” he said. “I’ve refocused and committed myself to my faith, my family, my job, my health.”
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