DUI Lawyer Michigan Call Now

Michigan’s most infamous DUI arrests and what they teach about OWI law

A sitcom star, a Lions president, an NBA guard and a string of state lawmakers. These are the Michigan drunk-driving arrests that made headlines, how each case ended in court, and what they show about how OWI charges really play out.

  1. 1997 · Bloomfield Township, Oakland County (48th District Court area)

    Tim Allen: A sitcom star’s Ferrari, clocked at 70 in a 40

    Actor, star of “Home Improvement”

    What happened

    • Police stopped Allen’s Ferrari in May 1997 after clocking it at about 70 mph in a 40 mph zone.
    • Police reported a blood alcohol level of 0.15%, nearly twice the legal limit.
    • Allen told the court he’d had drinks on the golf course and at dinner.

    How it ended

    Pleaded guilty to drunk driving; sentenced to a year of probation and alcohol treatment.

    Sources: CBS News , Looper

  2. 2009 · Novi, Oakland County

    Charles Rogers: Found unresponsive behind the wheel in Novi

    Former Detroit Lions first-round pick and Michigan State star

    What happened

    • Novi police reported finding the former No. 2 overall draft pick unresponsive behind the wheel of his vehicle in 2009.
    • He faced charges of drunk driving and driving without a license.
    • In January 2010 he was arrested again at a Novi restaurant for violating his sobriety court order.

    How it ended

    Pleaded guilty to operating while visibly impaired and entered sobriety court; later jailed 93 days for contempt after violating the program.

    Sources: Fox Sports / AP , The Globe and Mail

  3. 2010 · Northern Michigan

    Tom Lewand: The “designated driver” who blew 0.21

    Detroit Lions team president

    What happened

    • Police stopped Lewand in June 2010 after seeing his car drift between lanes after leaving a bar parking lot.
    • He told officers he was the designated driver but failed a sobriety test; police reported a 0.21% blood alcohol level.
    • The NFL reviewed the arrest under its personal conduct policy.

    How it ended

    Pleaded guilty to a reduced impaired-driving charge; six months’ probation, fines and an outpatient recovery program.

    Sources: AP via Washington Times , CBS Detroit

  4. 2017 · Auburn Hills, Oakland County

    Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: Exactly 0.08, and a probation violation that followed him to L.A.

    Detroit Pistons guard

    What happened

    • Auburn Hills police stopped Caldwell-Pope in March 2017 for going about 45 mph in a 25 mph zone.
    • He failed field sobriety tests; a breath test showed 0.08%, right at the legal limit.
    • After moving to the Lakers, he missed a court-ordered drug and alcohol screening in Michigan.

    How it ended

    Pleaded guilty to allowing an impaired person to drive (OWI dismissed); one year of probation. A violation later led to a 25-day work-release sentence served in California.

    Sources: CBS Detroit , NBA.com / AP

  5. 2019 · I-75, Auburn Hills, Oakland County

    Rebekah Warren: A guardrail on I-75 and a “super drunk” charge

    State representative (former state senator), D-Ann Arbor

    What happened

    • Auburn Hills police stopped Warren late on December 26, 2019, after seeing her car swerve and graze a guardrail; police video later showed the contact.
    • A blood test showed 0.212%, above Michigan’s 0.17 “super drunk” threshold.

    How it ended

    The high-BAC charge was reduced; she pleaded guilty to misdemeanor OWI and received one year of probation and community service.

    Sources: Michigan Public , Michigan Advance

  6. 2021 · I-96, Livingston County

    Jewell Jones: A ditch on I-96, a gun, and three bond violations

    State representative, D-Inkster

    What happened

    • Michigan State Police arrested Jones on April 6, 2021, after his SUV weaved across I-96 and ended up in a ditch.
    • Police reported a high blood alcohol level and a handgun in the vehicle, and said he resisted troopers.
    • A judge revoked his bond in September 2021 after his alcohol monitor registered drinking.

    How it ended

    Pleaded guilty in Livingston County Circuit Court to OWI, resisting police, possessing a firearm while intoxicated and other counts; sentenced to probation with credit for 61 days served.

    Sources: Metro Times , WILX

  7. 2021 · Kent County

    Bryan Posthumus: A rolled Jeep, weeks after another lawmaker’s arrest

    State representative, R-Cannon Township

    What happened

    • In late April 2021 Posthumus’s Jeep drifted off the road, hit a mailbox and rolled over after he left his family farm.
    • Police reported a 0.13% blood alcohol level. No one else was hurt.
    • He had a prior OWI arrest in 2013.

    How it ended

    Pleaded guilty to OWI first offense; WGRD reported a 15-day jail term and two years of probation.

    Sources: FOX 2 Detroit , WGRD

  8. 2022 · Livonia, Wayne County (16th District Court)

    Mary Cavanagh: Swerving on I-96 with a tire off the rim

    State representative, D-Redford

    What happened

    • Livonia police followed Cavanagh onto eastbound I-96 in February 2022 and reported her vehicle swerving between lanes until a front tire came off its rim.
    • A later blood test was reported at 0.20%.
    • She had pleaded to a lesser impaired-driving charge in an earlier 2015 case.

    How it ended

    Pleaded guilty to OWI; sentenced to fines, a 10-day work program, two years of probation and sobriety court.

    Sources: ClickOnDetroit , WGVU / AP

You don’t need to be famous to get a good outcome.

Notice how often these charges were reduced. Tell us where you were arrested and we’ll connect you with the top-ranked DUI lawyer for that court, free.

Call (408) 320-5050 Search by ZIP

Landmark Michigan OWI cases and laws

Some of the most important drunk-driving stories in Michigan happened in the courtroom, not on the highway. These rulings and laws still shape how OWI cases are charged and defended today.

2010

Michigan’s “super drunk” law takes effect

Since October 31, 2010, drivers with a BAC of 0.17 or higher face up to 180 days in jail, a one-year license suspension and mandatory alcohol treatment, even on a first offense.

2010

People v. Feezel

The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that 11-carboxy-THC, an inactive marijuana byproduct that lingers in the blood for weeks, is not a controlled substance under the OWI law. Drivers can’t be convicted just because it shows up in a blood test.

2013

People v. Koon

The Court held that registered medical marijuana patients can’t be prosecuted under the zero-tolerance drug-driving rule just for having marijuana in their system. Prosecutors must show they were actually under the influence.

2017

People v. Rea: the driveway case

Gino Rea was arrested for backing his car down his own driveway. The Michigan Supreme Court reinstated the charge, holding that OWI applies anywhere generally accessible to motor vehicles, including private driveways.

How common is a DUI arrest in Michigan?

Michigan police made 24,690 drunk-driving arrests in 2025. See the top 100 cities by arrest rate and which court handles each one.

Michigan DUI statistics →

Stopped by police? Know your rights first.

What to say, which roadside tests you can decline, and the 14-day deadline that protects your license.

8 steps to protect your rights →

Every case on this page is drawn from published news reports, linked under each entry; details reflect those reports. Where outlets disagreed, we used the more conservative account. Outcomes listed are those reported at the time and may not reflect later appeals, expungement or other changes. This page is general information, not legal advice, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any person named.

Call (408) 320-5050