Youngest
Elected Official Quits After Third Arrest
One of the youngest politicians ever to be elected in Indiana abruptly
resigned last month after he was arrested for possession of drug
paraphernalia and underage drinking, according to the Chicago Tribune.
David Wichlinski, 18, had only spent six months serving on the Porter
Township Board when the young Republican was taken into custody by
Valparaiso police after he and a friend were stopped near a local
McDonald's restaurant. Police were called to the restaurant after
receiving a complaint of an intoxicated driver at the restaurant's
drive-through.
According to the officers, they stopped the car driven by Ryan Kubal,
20, of Valparaiso, but David Wichlinski left the vehicle and walked
away. According to the police report, Wichlinski ignored requests to
stop and acted as if he were talking on a cell phone.
Police searched Kubal's vehicle and found a glass smoking pipe in the
glove compartment with residue of what police said smelled like burnt
marijuana. Kubal told police it belonged to Wichlinski. Kubal also told
police that Wichlinski had been drinking beer at a graduation party.
This was the third time in four months Wichlinski has had a brush with
the law. He was elected to the Porter Township Board in November and was
touted as one of the youngest, if not the youngest, elected officials in
the state.
Wichlinski avoided charges in February after he was accused of making
an obscene gesture towards two police officers and again in April when
police found a marijuana seed in his truck, according to the
Post-Tribune.
On June 27th, Wichlinski issued a
written statement apologizing to his family, friends, the Republican
Party and others. He will have his first court appearance in August and
plans to attend college in the fall.
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