JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri state legislator said she takes “full responsibility” for neglecting traffic violation court cases, which led to her arrest this week.
Jefferson City police arrested Rep. LaKeySha Bosley, D-St. Louis, Monday after an officer pulled her over and discovered an arrest warrant. She was released the same day after posting $300 bond.
The warrant is for failing to appear for a hearing on a speeding ticket last year in Perry County, southeast Missouri. A judge withdrew the order Wednesday, according to court records.
Courts have issued multiple warrants for Bosley’s arrest since 2016 after she failed to appear at court hearings for traffic violations.
After Post Shipping to St. Louis first reported the arrest warrants in March, Bosley said his lawyer asked for the orders to be revoked. He withdrew a Boone County warrant for his failure to attend a court hearing on expired license plates. Bosley said Perry’s request was previously denied because the court mistakenly determined the case number was incorrect.
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There is still an outstanding warrant for Bosley’s arrest in Pine Lawn, a St. Louis suburb, for failing to go to court to deal with a 2016 speeding ticket. Bosley said he has repeatedly called the court to resolve the order, but the staff there said no record of it.
Voters elected Bosley to the House of Representatives in 2018. She said she is disappointed that her arrest has become a distraction from her job as a lawmaker, particularly advocating for compensation for people who have been wrongfully convicted and expanding the access to Medicaid health care for new mothers.
“I’ve been so focused on trying to do a good job on Capitol Hill (and) making sure I’m doing the people’s job for the 79th District, that I’ve neglected my own personal efforts,” Bosley said. “I’m really sorry about that, because you can’t be a good representative if you don’t take care of your business personally. So I take full responsibility for that.”
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