The wife of Republican gubernatorial candidate Allen West faces a charge of driving while intoxicated with a child in the car after officers stopped her for a traffic violation Friday night in northwest Dallas, police say.
Officers believed Angela West, 61, may have been intoxicated when they pulled her over in the 2300 block of Northwest Highway at about 8:44 p.m. Friday, Dallas police said. After a field sobriety test, she was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated with a child under 15 years old.
Police said the child in the vehicle was released to their father.
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West was taken to the Dallas County jail, where police said a blood specimen was taken during her detainment. The results were unknown Sunday night.
In a video posted to his Twitter feed, Allen West said the child was their grandson. He added Angela West was released from jail Saturday.
In the same video, Allen West said his wife had not had anything to drink Friday and he is publicly disputing his wife’s arrest. In a social media post Sunday morning, West is seen holding up restaurant receipts. He said the receipts show what his wife had to drink Friday night.
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"It shows that she had a lemonade with a complimentary water. And you can see on these receipts that it’s time-stamped for 8:05 p.m.," West said.
Allen West is a former Congressman from Florida and a former chair of the Texas Republican Party. He is calling for the arresting officer’s termination, his wife’s charges to be dropped and a public apology from Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson and the District Attorney John Creuzot.
"You will come to my house and you will publicly apologize to my wife, to my grandson and to his parents," West said.
Dallas Police Association President Mike Mata said the officer did not violate protocol. He said the officer is on traffic unit patrol, which requires additional training beyond what's needed for other patrol officers. He called West's social media posts disappointing and disingenuous.
"It’s not necessary. I think it’s unethical. Again, he can have a very quick hearing, a probable cause hearing where this can be brought up in court, everything he’s posted on his social media," Mata said.
Mata said there is video of the arrest, but could not say whether it would be released to the public.
