To the editor:

Indiana State Rep. Jim Lucas is back in the headlines, and once again, it’s for all the wrong reasons. Lucas has often drawn media attention for his frequent and combative social media posts. In 2020, his social media rantings were so offensive he was stripped of key committee positions.

But this time, his antics have escalated beyond inflammatory words. The incumbent lawmaker recently crashed his truck, dangerously drove the wrong way on an Interstate 65 ramp and proceeded to abandon his vehicle in a local parking lot. He was arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident.

Lucas agreed to a plea deal that includes no jail time. His driver’s license is suspended for only 60 days, and even that part of the plea deal allows him “special driving privileges” so he can drive during the weekdays on work-related travel. He is ordered to enter an alcohol and drug abuse program, and he owes the Indiana Department of Transportation $4,000 for the damage he caused.

One is left to wonder if an average Jackson County citizen would have gotten the same treatment. The plea deal understates the seriousness of the lawmaker’s actions and the harm he posed to other motorists. And as one might expect, Rep. Lucas downplayed the incident in a recent radio interview, calling it “a hiccup” and making it clear he has no intention of stepping aside.

Rep. Lucas has been our state representative for over a decade. We deserve a lawmaker who is responsible, respected and will work for the betterment of our community. That representative is not the current incumbent.

David R. Stout M.D., Seymour