x
Breaking News
More () »

Arizona lawmaker claims immunity from speeding ticket, brags about driving even faster

After being pulled over for driving 97 mph in a 55 mph zone, Rep. Paul Mosley told the deputy he'd been driving 120 earlier and his car can go 140 mph.

An Arizona lawmaker pulled over for speeding can be seen on body camera bragging about driving even faster before he was clocked going 97 mph in a 55 mph zone in La Paz County, according to a story published by news website ParkerLive.

In the body cam footage, a La Paz County sheriff's deputy tells Rep. Paul Mosley, a Republican from Lake Havasu City, to "please watch your speed" after giving the Arizona legislator his driver's license back during a March 27 traffic stop.

"Well, I was doing 120 earlier," Mosley says.

"Really?" the deputy says.

"Yeah, this thing goes 140. That's what I like about it," Mosley says with a smile on his face.

According to ParkerLive, during the traffic stop the deputy explained to Mosley that going 97 mph in a 55 mph zone is considered criminal speed.

Mosley reportedly told the deputy that he shouldn't waste his time writing a citation because as a government official, he had immunity.

According to Arizona law:

Members of the legislature shall be privileged from arrest in all cases except treason, felony, and breach of the peace, and they shall not be subject to any civil process during the session of the legislature, nor for fifteen days next before the commencement of each session.

Mosley said he was driving fast to get home to "surprise his wife."

"I'm not going to lecture you," the deputy says. "You have a good day sir."

Because of the March 27 incident, Arizona Fraternal Order of Police pulled its endorsement of Mosley.

Arizona House Speaker JD Mesnard released a statement saying he was "disturbed to see" Mosley's actions and had spoken to the Lake Havasu Republican.

"Nothing short of an emergency justifies that kind of speed, and assertions of immunity in that situation seem outside the intent of the constitutional provisions regarding legislative immunity.

Mosley posted an apology on Facebook, saying his "desire to get home to see my family does not justify how fast I was speeding nor my reference to legislative immunity when being pulled over."

He said his jokes about driving over 100 mph were "entirely inappropriate and showed extremely bad judgement."

Representative Mark Finchem says he’s already filed an ethics complaint. Cochise County Attorney Brian McIntyre is handling the complaint. He says ethical rules don’t permit him to say whether or not Mosley will face charges. But he does say to to expect a decision in about a month.

The video above was provided courtesy of ParkerLive.

Before You Leave, Check This Out