NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Jeremy Durham, a former Tennessee state representative, who was expelled from the House in 2016, was sentenced after being found guilty on multiple charges, including driving under the influence.
The charges stemmed from a crash in downtown Nashville where Durham sideswiped another vehicle. The victim, Dylan Davidson, testified he experienced whiplash after his head hit the steering wheel and missed two weeks of work as a result.
The former lawmaker was convicted on five of six charges in May, including two counts of driving under the influence, reckless endangerment, resisting arrest, and unlawful use of drug paraphernalia. He was found not guilty of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Durham received a one-year jail sentence with all but 7 days suspended, one year of probation, a $350 fine, and will lose his driver's license for one year, according to court documents.
This marks Durham's second DUI offense in less than two years.
He was previously arrested in Tallahassee, Florida on January 25, 2024, for driving under the influence.
According to an affidavit, Durham was driving without headlights or taillights when stopped by an officer. During that incident, he refused field sobriety tests and a breath test, repeatedly stating it was "his right to refuse" because "his grandfather fought in WW2."
For the current case, Durham had faced up to six years in prison for the Class E felony reckless endangerment conviction.
He had remained free on bond until today's sentencing.
Durham's blood alcohol content was 0.136%, nearly double the legal limit of 0.08%, according to testimony from a Metro Nashville Police Department forensic scientist.
During the trial, Durham admitted to possessing a marijuana grinder that police found on him at the scene of the Nashville crash, but denied guilt on other charges. He testified he had consumed about two-and-a-half glasses of wine at dinner before the incident.
"I feel like this was just a benign traffic accident after a couple glasses of wine. That's all this is," Durham said during his testimony.
Durham also admitted to lying to police when he told them he hadn't consumed alcohol and acknowledged he "overreacted" and "looked like an idiot" when resisting arrest.
Special prosecutor Brent Pierce emphasized during the trial that lawmakers aren't above the law.
"If we're applying the laws that you all make, they apply to you too," Pierce said.
The former Williamson County Republican representative was removed from the Tennessee House in September 2016. Durham's expulsion came after the state Attorney General published findings that accused Durham of sexually harassing 22 women, one of whom was an intern working at the legislature.
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