Jewell Jones
By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS — State Rep. Jewell Jones (D-Dearborn Heights) was removed from his legislative committee assignments by House Speaker Jason Wentworth (R-Farewell) following multiple violations of his bond conditions.
Jones, jailed following his third bond violations, is facing felony charges after he allegedly attempted to sneak a universal handcuff key into jail following his bond revocation hearing Sept. 14. It allegedly was found taped to the bottom of his foot during a routine search when he began his incarceration.
The new charges from Sept. 14 are for attempting to escape custody and bringing a weapon into the jail. His bond is set at $100,000 cash or surety after appearing in the 53rd District Court. He is also not allowed to possess any weapons.
The key was found after Jones was taken into custody following his bond revocation hearing where Jones pleaded guilty of violating the conditions of his release for a third time following an April 6 drunken driving arrest.
A Livingston County Prosecutor’s Office motion for bond revocation stated that Jones tested positive three times on Sept. 3. His alcohol tether recorded a transdermal blood alcohol concentration level of .023 at 12:59 p.m., .023 at 4:37 p.m., and .022 at 7:09 p.m., the motion said.
Jones attempted to tamper with the tether Sept. 6 by putting a sock underneath the tether, Livingston County Assistant Prosecutor Christina Richards said.
The tether was ordered after Jones pleaded guilty June 24 to leaving military training without notifying court officials or his attorney.
Jones was out on bond after the April 6 incident in Fowlerville where Jones’ vehicle was seen driving erratically on I-96 before leaving the road and coming to a stop in a ditch.
A news release from Livingston County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Carolyn Henry said Jones’ blood-alcohol-level was 0.17 at the time of his arrest, almost twice the legal limit of .08 in Michigan.
He was charged with four counts of resisting and obstructing a police officer, operating a motor vehicle with a high blood-alcohol content, operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, possession of a weapon while under the influence of alcohol and reckless driving.
State Police officers said that when they arrived, Jones’ pants were undone and he was aiding a vomiting woman who was wearing no pants. Jones reportedly was uncooperative with responding officers and showed police badges instead of identification.
Jones’ attorney said police used excessive force during his arrest.
“Rep. Jewell Jones’s increasingly disruptive and distracting behavior in the months following his April arrest has eroded my confidence in his ability to conduct the people’s work,” Wentworth said in a Sept. 15 statement.
“That behavior hit a new low yesterday when he appears to have made a bizarre attempt to escape from jail, potentially resulting in two new charges. Action must be taken to protect the public’s interest. I am now removing Rep. Jones from all House committees and encouraging him to use that time to make changes and take control of his actions.
“The Michigan House of Representatives will continue to make sure he has access to every service and every bit of support we have to help him on his journey. I sincerely hope he finally takes advantage of those opportunities and gets the help he needs. The people he serves are counting on him to do so.”
Jones is currently serving his third term in the 11th District representing Garden City and Inkster along with parts of Dearborn Heights, Livonia and Westland.
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected].)