(CN) - The chairman of the South Carolina Senate's Ethics Committee was arrested over weekend on charges he was driving under the influence and lied to police after a minor car accident.
Republican Paul Campbell was arrested Saturday night after police responded to accident scene at about 9:15 p.m.
According to South Carolina Dept. of Public Safety, Campbell, 71, rear-ended another vehicle in congested traffic while driving on Interstate-26 outside of Charleston.
Investigators said the other driver, a young woman, told them that after the collision, Campbell pulled in front of her car and switched seats with his wife.
The young woman went on to claim Campbell encouraged her to leave the scene of the accident and drive to a nearby exist, and then gave her his business card while asking how she wanted to handle the incident.
The woman responded by calling the police.
Campbell reportedly failed a field sobriety test and was charged at that time. He wife was also charged, but was released at the scene.
Campbell was booked at the Al Cannon Detention Center in North Charleston and was found to have a blood-alcohol level of .09 percent. Anything over .08 percent is over the legal limit in South Carolina.
The state senator posted $1,457 bond and was released on Sunday morning. When questioned outside of the jail he told reporters that he is innocent and was not the driver.
Campbell represents Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties which make up District 44.
A representative of Campbell did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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