Texas gubernatorial candidate Allen West calls arrest of wife “insidious”

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The wife of Republican candidate for Texas governor Allen West was arrested in Dallas County for allegedly driving while intoxicated on Friday night, according to the Dallas and West Police Department itself.

Angela Graham-West, 61, was returning home after dining at PF Changs with her three-month-old grandson when she was arrested and arrested on an alleged DWI offense. She was charged with impaired driving with a child under the age of 15.

Graham-West was released from jail around 1 p.m. Saturday, according to West, who posted a video to Instagram early Saturday morning from Dallas County Jail. In the video, West angrily denied that his wife had been drinking.

West, the former leader of the Texas Republican Party, said he was in Waco having dinner with Ted Nugent when he returned to Dallas to find his wife had been arrested.

He said in the video that he spoke to people who had dinner with his wife and grandson who told him she only had water and lemonade. West provided a photo of the receipt to the Tribune, which shows a lemonade, but does not list any alcoholic beverages.

In the video, West said he was particularly angry that his grandson was left by the side of the road with a police officer while the police took his wife to jail.

“I support the thin blue line, but it’s insidious,” West said. “They put my grandson in danger, in danger, left him with some policemen and took his grandmother to jail and she had water and lemonade… I’m beyond anger . “

Dallas Police said in a statement to the Tribune that they arrested Graham-West in the 2300 block of the West Northwest Freeway at 8:44 p.m. and that the officer “had reason to believe the driver may be in. drunk”.

Police said Graham-West underwent a field field sobriety test, “which subsequently led to his arrest for DWI.”

In a text message to the Tribune, Allen West said his wife was arrested for not using a turn signal to change lanes, but had “no issues” with field sobriety or breathalyzer tests. . He said she refused a blood test, but an officer got a warrant for it.

Dallas Police said West’s grandson was handed over to his father. West said her daughter and husband picked up her grandson from the car by the side of the road.

West announced he was running for governor on July 4, days before stepping down from his state party post to challenge Gov. Greg Abbott, another Republican.

Graham-West ran for Garland City Council earlier this year, but did not qualify for the second round.

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