Richie Farmer charged with DUI, told police he'd taken pills

(Source: LCDC)
(Source: LCDC)
Published: Mar. 22, 2018 at 11:36 PM EDT|Updated: Mar. 23, 2018 at 7:30 PM EDT
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LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - Former University of Kentucky basketball star Richie Farmer was arrested and charged with DUI on Thursday, officials said.

The London Police Department received calls of a reckless driver on Hal Rogers Parkway. A city employee advised officers that the car had crossed the center line several times and narrowly missed hitting another car.

Officer Steven Sparks stopped the reckless driver, later identified as Richard "Richie" Dwight Farmer, at the I-75 northbound ramp. Another officer arrived and said the driver exhibited slurred speech and bloodshot eyes. Farmer failed his sobriety test, police said.

Farmer also told police he had taken two hydrocodone pills and two soma pills on an empty stomach, according to the arrest citation.

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Farmer served two terms as state agriculture commissioner from January 2004 until January 2012.

In September 2013, Farmer pled guilty to two counts of misappropriating government resources. Federal prosecutors said Farmer used state employees for personal errands and expected he hired friends into jobs to perform little or no work.

In addition to time in prison, Farmer was also ordered by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove to pay $120,500 in restitution to the state.

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