‘I did not over consume’: House GOP leader pushes back against DUI charge

House Minority Leader Del. Jason Buckel (R-Allegany). File photo by Danielle E. Gaines.

Maryland House Minority Leader Del. Jason C. Buckel defended himself  Tuesday against charges that he was driving negligently and under the influence when he was stopped by police near Cumberland last week.

The Allegany County Republican was stopped by Maryland State Police at 11:23 p.m. Thursday as he was driving a gray 2021 Mercedes-Benz sedan eastbound on National Highway near the intersection of Campground Road in La Vale. He was charged with driving under the influence, driving while impaired by alcohol, driving on a suspended license, failing to show registration, and negligent driving in a “careless and imprudent manner endangering property, life and person.”

In a statement provided by his office, Buckel, 52, said he had been at a “local sports-themed restaurant” to watch an NHL game before his vehicle was stopped, adding that he is “not much of a drinker” and will “rarely drink more than the occasional glass of wine or beer with dinner or at a sporting event.”

“I did not over consume any alcoholic beverages on the night in question, particularly as I had not been feeling well earlier in the afternoon and had taken some over the counter medication,” Buckel’s statement said. “I was not speeding. I was not driving erratically in any way.

“Approximately a mile from my home an officer turned his lights on from behind me. I will trust the legal system as to the resolution of the matter or the rationale for the stop, but I have confidence that the matter would hopefully be resolved favorably,” the statement said.

A court date has been set for July 24 in Allegany District Court.

Buckel said he intends to perform his duties and “would expect that the majority of my colleagues and constituents would expect me to keep doing the challenging work on behalf of Western Maryland and Republican principles in Annapolis.”

“Maryland has an extremely aggressive approach to DUI from both a policy and enforcement perspective, and I’ll participate in the process and abide by the outcome,” Buckel said, adding, “No one is above the law, and I am certainly not.”

But Buckel’s statement also suggested he was not ruling out “improper motive or coordination with the local State Police bureaucracy” as a factor in the incident. He said he had been “the subject of improper and unfounded allegations previously by a State Police officer who engaged in an extramarital affair with my now ex-wife and with whom I clearly have a negative relationship, although we’ve had no communications for a lengthy period.”

That was an apparent reference to criminal harassment charges filed against Buckel in 2021 by a state trooper who said Buckel had sent him dozens of social media messages, many of which he considered threatening in nature. The case was moved to Frederick County where the charges were eventually dropped.

Despite the provocative nature of what Buckel said, he added: “I have a great deal of respect for the law enforcement community so I would never impugn it. I’ll allow those issues, if any, to be addressed through the proper channels.”

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