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Hunger-Striking Texas Democrat Arrested on Drunk Driving Charge

Victoria Neave
Victoria Neave / Twitter
June 7, 2017

A Texas Democrat who gained national attention earlier this year for her hunger strike in protest of the state's "sanctuary city" bill was arrested on Tuesday night for drunk driving after she drove her car into a tree, according to a Dallas Morning News report.

State Rep. Victoria Neave, a freshman in the legislature representing parts of Dallas, was "staggering" and "uncooperative" with police, according to the report. She refused to take a field sobriety test and repeatedly said to officers while slurring her words that she was "invoking my 5th amendment rights."

"I love you and I will fight for you and I'm invoking my 5th amendment rights," she slurred repeatedly, according to the report.

Just one week ago, Neave was honored by the Texas House Democratic Caucus as its "freshman of the year."

She gained national attention in April when she went on a four-day hunger strike aimed at stopping legislation that would have banned sanctuary cities.

She organized the Dallas Women's March to protest President Trump's inauguration and has been praised as a rising star in Texas politics.

Neave was booked into Dallas County Jail just after 3:30 a.m. She faces a charge of driving while intoxicated.

Local Dallas reporter Jason Whitely says that Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, a Democrat who has had her own stand-offs with Texas Republicans over immigration enforcement policies, let Neave exit jail out of a private exit, allowing her to avoid reporters.


Over the weekend, Neave participated in a safe driving simulator.

UPDATE 12:55 p.m.: This post has been updated to include information from WFAA-TV reporter Jason Whitely.