Michigan Democratic lawmaker Lauren Flynn, 46, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a “super drunk” driving charge stemming from a July traffic stop where she allegedly recorded a blood-alcohol level more than double the legal limit.
Flynn appeared for her arraignment via Zoom from Grand Traverse County, where she has twice won election to represent District 2 on the county commission. Her attorney, Jesse Williams, entered the plea on her behalf while the politician spoke only to confirm personal details during the brief proceeding.
The case is being presided over by neighboring Antrim County rather than Traverse County, a jurisdictional arrangement that delayed the arraignment. Flynn was released on undisclosed bond and faces up to 180 days in jail if convicted of the misdemeanor offense.
She was pulled over July 24 in Grand Traverse County and recorded a blood-alcohol concentration of at least 0.17%, according to WPBN. Michigan’s standard legal limit is 0.08%, and the state’s enhanced “super drunk” law carries stiffer penalties than a basic operating while intoxicated charge, which tops out at 93 days for first-time offenders.
Flynn’s bond conditions require her to submit to twice-daily breath tests and prohibit her from consuming alcohol or drugs. She has also been urged to avoid bars and casinos.
The arraignment came just two years after Flynn, a single mother of two teenage daughters, secured re-election in November 2024 with a nearly 13-point victory over Republican challenger Daniel Smith. She first won her seat in 2022.
Her political work has centered on expanding access to affordable child care and cost-effective housing in her northern Michigan district. During her campaign, Flynn shared personal details about how financial pressures shaped her family life, including putting her degree at Central Michigan University on hold when she moved to Traverse City.
“Ensuring affordable daycare is not just a priority for me—it’s a necessity,” she said during the campaign, referencing how high childcare costs added “stress that contributed to the breakdown of [their] marriage” with her now-late husband.
Flynn has not publicly commented on the arraignment, and her next court date has not been disclosed.
