Iowa Lawmaker Arrested for DUI

baltimore

AMES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa lawmaker says he’s taking full responsibility for his decision to drive drunk.

State Rep. Francis “Chip” Baltimore, a Republican from Boone, was arrested Friday morning in Ames near Interstate 35. His blood alcohol tested out at nearly twice the legal limit, and a pistol was found under the driver’s seat.

Baltimore told station WOI that he “made a very, very bad decision to get behind the wheel.”

Baltimore, an attorney, is serving his fourth term as a state representative. He is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, a legislative body that has advanced legislation in recent years to add more penalties for individuals arrested for drunken driving.