Newly released body camera footage is providing additional detail about the DUI arrest of Aurora City Councilman Robert Andrews, who police say was driving with a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit.
According to Aurora police, Andrews was stopped [1] just after 9:30 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of South Chambers Road and East Florida Avenue.
Officers said they initiated the traffic stop after observing Andrews make an improper left turn, nearly strike a curb, and weave between lanes while driving his truck.
When officers approached the vehicle, the police report states that Andrews initially handed over his Aurora City Council identification card instead of his driver’s license.
Officers also reported detecting the smell of alcohol coming from Andrews and described his eyes as pink and watery.
The body camera video shows an officer addressing Andrews shortly after the stop and asking about alcohol consumption.
“My concern is that I can smell alcohol coming from your person, have you had anything to drink tonight?” an officer says in the video.
“I had two drinks tonight,” Andrews replies.
He later clarifies that the drinks were gin.
As the interaction continues, the video shows Andrews expressing concern about whether the arrest would become public.
Andrews asks officers whether the situation would be documented and whether the results of any breath test would be made public.
“So everything that happens here will be documented in the police report,” an officer responds in the video.
Police say Andrews was asked to perform a series of field sobriety tests, which officers concluded he failed.
After the tests, Andrews was taken into custody and transported to the Aurora Municipal Jail.
According to police, Andrews consented to a breath test at the jail. Officers said the test showed a breath alcohol content of 0.252, which is more than three times Colorado’s legal limit of 0.08.
“The intoxolyzer has you at a .252, so quite a bit, quite a bit higher than .08,” an officer is heard saying in the body camera footage.
Following the breath test, Andrews was issued a summons on multiple charges, including driving under the influence and driving with excessive alcohol content.
Police records indicate that no injuries were reported in connection with the traffic stop.
After news of the arrest became public, Andrews addressed the incident in a Facebook post. In the post, Andrews acknowledged his arrest and accepted responsibility for his actions.
“I take full responsibility for my decision. I am deeply sorry … I am committed to doing what restorative justice asks of all of us,” Andrews wrote.
