Who is Jim Lucas? Indiana Representative arrested in suspected DUI crash

Indiana state Representative Jim Lucas was arrested on Wednesday, May 31, after he allegedly drove while under the influence and left the scene of a crash. Wish Tv reported that 58-year-old Lucas was booked into Jackson County Jail on Wednesday morning on preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and leaving the scene of a crash with property damage.

In a statement to Indiana Capital Chronicle, police said that around midnight, Jim Lucas crashed his vehicle on Interstate 65 while under the influence and fled the scene. Indiana State Police spokesperson said that shortly after, officers found Lucas’ vehicle at a different location. Lucas, who was found nearby, was taken into custody.

Authorities, who have yet to disclose details about Lucas’ toxicology report, said that Lucas was released at 7:53 am on Wednesday after posting a $705 bond. Shortly after he was released from prison, GOP Gov. Eric Holcomb said that it is yet to be determined if Lucas will continue to serve his constituency in the wake of the crash. Holcomb noted that the general assembly will decide if the Indiana representative will face repercussions over the incident:

“I hope he gets the help he needs and that’s for the General Assembly to decide. If it were, there would be a process if it happened in the executive branch that we would follow, but I won’t pre-judge the outcome before he’s offered his day in court.”

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Jim Lucas has been embroiled in multiple scandals over the years

Jim Lucas, the representative of the Republican state, has served District 69, which includes portions of Bartholomew, Jackson, Washington, and Scott counties, since he was elected in 2012.

Lucas, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, served on the Seymour City Council before being elected into office in 2012. He also owns a small business - The Awning Guy, Inc which sells apparel in Seymour.

Per multiple reports, the recent arrest isn’t the first time Jim Lucas has been involved in a troubling situation. Lucas is known to court criticism over racially controversial social media posts that have drawn severe backlash from people, including the Indiana governor.

In 2020, Jim Lucas was fired from two committee positions and a committee leadership role after posting a racist meme on Facebook. At the time, he defended the posts, dismissing accusations that they were racist. He said:

"This is something that's been blown so far out of proportion and when we see what's going on around the country, it needs to be fixed. And the easiest way to fix it is to reach out to people. Both of those incidents (social media posts), weren't racist. And all the vitriol that came of that, that shocked me as much as anybody.”

In 2022, Lucas faced criticism for a social media post that included a Nazi quote from Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels, a trusted friend of Adolf Hitler.

Shortly after, CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center posted a letter on Facebook condemning Lucas' post. Lucas is also a proponent of the second amendment act and authored bills to arm teachers in schools.