Ted Vick (Image: Richland County Detention Center)
Columbia, SC (WLTX) -- State Representative Ted Vick of Chesterfield County has been arrested after a traffic stop in Columbia.
Around 1 a.m. Thursday morning, Columbia Police stopped the Democratic candidate for U.S. House District 7 for speeding, resulting in an arrest for D.U.I. and possession of a firearm with an expired permit.
CPD Spokesperson Jennifer Timmons tells News 19 that an officer pulled Vick over for speeding in the 2500 block of Devine Street. The report states the officer reported Vick was traveling at 42 miles an hour in a 30 mile an hour zone.
Upon approaching the vehicle and speaking with Vick, the officer reported smelling alcohol. The report states there was a 21-year-old passenger in the vehicle who told officers she had several drinks with Vick at two different bars in Columbia's Five Points, and that Vick was taking her home. The report listed her as a student at USC.
The report goes on to say the officer asked Vick to take a sobriety test, but he refused. The original officer, upon discovering Vick's political status, then called for his supervisor, CPD Captain Sharp and CPD Duty Officer Holbrook to attend the scene.
On police camera the officers again requested that Vick take a breathalyzer test, but he refused a second time, according to police. Vick was taken to the "breathalyzer room" at Columbia Police Headquarters, where he again refused to submit to a test.
Officers then transported him to the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, and upon arrival at the jail, police say officers then found the gun in Vick's right front pants pocket.
In Vick's wallet, CPD officers say they found a concealed weapons permit that had expired in 2007.
Vick was given a personal recognizance bond on the DUI and speeding charges. No bond has been set on the weapons charge.
"It's a mess," Vick's lawyer, Pete Strom, told News19. "He made a very poor decision, being out that late first of all and driving."
Strom says he does not know how much Vick had to drink. He says the woman Vick was with was a friend of a friend. After the friend left the bar, Strom says Vick decided to take the woman home.
Strom says his office will go about the discovery process and will review any video of the arrest and interview witnesses, including the young woman.
News19 also reached out to Columbia Police Chief Randy Scott about why the officer at the scene didn't find the weapon during the initial pat down of Vick.
"Officer safety is always first and unfortunately, we did not locate the firearm on the initial search and obviously that's an officer safety issue." Scott said. "So the department immediately looked into that fact and the officer's already been counseled about the importance of the pat down and officer safety."
Vick is seeking a fifth term to his Chesterfield County South Carolina House seat. He's also one of five Democrats seeking the nomination in the new 7th Congressional District, which runs through the Pee Dee and along the Grand Strand.
(contributing: AP)