Democratic state Rep. Matt Gray was arrested Thursday by Broomfield Police Department officers on suspicion of driving under the influence.
The address that police say he was arrested at an elementary school.
The 41-year-old, who lives in Broomfield, is in the final year of his third two-year term in the Colorado House. He has filed to run for reelection in November.
Gray was marked excused from the House on Friday. He did not immediately respond to a text message seeking comment, but tweeted — and then deleted — out a statement midday.
“As many of you know, yesterday I was arrested on suspicion of DUI,” Gray said on Twitter. “I was not intoxicated, but my symptoms of anxiety and depression are such that too many people are worried when they’re around me. I’m going to increase my level of therapy and appreciate all the support.”
House Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver, said in a written statement that we was “deeply saddened and disappointed.”
“I don’t have all the facts at the moment, but it’s my belief that he has been struggling with alcoholism for some time now,” Garnett said. “I’m very thankful no one appears to have been hurt, and I strongly believe he needs to take time — beginning right now — to get the help he needs.”
The Broomfield Police Department told The Colorado Sun that Gray was arrested at about 5:30 p.m. at 13770 Broadlands Drive. That’s the address of Coyote Ridge Elementary School.
Police say Gray was booked into the Broomfield Detention Center and later released. The department declined to release additional information on the arrest.
Gray, a former prosecutor, was first elected in 2016 and has championed transportation issues at the Capitol, particularly around funding road and transit projects. He was also one of the architects of Colorado’s new paid family and parental leave program, approved by voters in 2020.
The 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, which prosecutes cases in Broomfield and Adams counties, referred questions to the Broomfield Police Department. Gray used to be a deputy district attorney at the office.
There are about three weeks left in Colorado’s 2022 legislative session.
CORRECTION: This story was updated at 10:10 a.m. on Friday, April 22, 2022, to correct an error about how many terms state Rep. Matt Gray has served in the legislature and his age. He is 41 and in his third term. He has filed to run for reelection in November.