Indiana GOP Sen. Mike Bohacek charged with DUI months after incident

[RandySF]

Charges are pending against Republican Indiana Sen. Mike Bohacek for a January drunk driving incident that remained under wraps for months — shielded by legislative immunity during the 2025 session.

Bohacek, of Michiana Shores, was stopped by police on Jan. 24 after a citizen reported him “drinking an open container and stumble out of his vehicle” at a Panda Express in Michigan City, according to charging documents obtained by the Indiana Capital Chronicle. He was later pulled over near Swan Lake Cemetery on U.S. 20, where he refused a breathalyzer test.

Police then took him to a hospital, where a blood test showed a blood alcohol content of 0.28% — more than three times Indiana’s legal limit of 0.08%.

But Bohacek wasn’t arrested at the time. Under Indiana law, members of the General Assembly are shielded from arrest in most cases during the legislative session — a protection known as legislative immunity.




https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/06/02/indiana-gop-sen-mike-bohacek-charged-with-dui-months-after-incident/

[Skittles]

1. .28% indicates a serious alcohol issue

not just an error in judgement

[stopdiggin]

2. yeap. absolutely hammered. and (as a general rule) usually indicates

someone that is an habitual abuser. (drinks to excess on a routine basis) Time to get serious about your little 'problem' there, bub. (or Sally)

[Lulu KC]

3. 3:30 in the afternoon

"covered with food"

Argh.

[truddy777]

4. Wondering if there's been any recent update on how this finally played out in court, since the session ended ages ago.

Seeing a politician hit a 0.28% BAC and just walk away because of legislative immunity is wild, especially when regular folks get the book thrown at them for the exact same thing.

Dealing with a high-BAC refusal refusal in Indiana is an absolute nightmare because the BMV moves to suspend your license immediately. Back when my own case looked completely hopeless due to a refusal charge, local legal expertise was the only thing that saved me. Working with an Indianapolis DUI lawyer from Wruble Law made all the difference because they caught a specific procedural error during my traffic stop, which got the chemical test refusal dismissed.

Getting stuck with mandatory classes was annoying, but keeping driving privileges was a massive win. It’ll be interesting to see if Bohacek actually faces accountability or if politics shields him from the real consequences.