UPDATED 2:52 P.M. WITH BURTON'S RESPONSE
Newton County Senator and Senate Pro Tempore Terry C. Burton was arrested by Mississippi Highway Patrol on suspicion of driving while under the influence last night in Oktibbeha County.
“At approximately 9:12 p.m. Wednesday evening MHP responded to a one-vehicle crash on US 82 west of Starkville near Highway 182,” said MHP Sgt. Derrick Beckom in a press release. “Upon arrival, troopers found a 2017 white Chevrolet Silverado resting in a ditch north of US 82.”
Beckom said Burton was taken to Oktibbeha County Jail and charged with DUI second offense and failure to maintain proper lane.
“This crash remains under investigation by MHP,” he said.
Burton issued a statement about the incident via text message Thursday afternoon.
“I know firsthand what it is like to make a mistake and to accept the consequences for those mistakes,” Burton said. “I respect and applaud law enforcement for always erring on the side of caution. I truly believe this is a misunderstanding."
The senator from Newton has been arrested twice previously for DUI. He pleaded guilty to a DUI in Brandon in 2014 and was found not guilty of a DUI in 2016 after a wreck in Scott County.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
