Republican Ohio State Rep. Robert Mecklenborg has been one of the biggest champions of the bizarre “heartbeat” bill, that would outlaw abortions as soon as the first heartbeat can be medically detected. Mecklenborg describes himself as a “Catholic boy from the west side of Cincinnati.”

This week we learned that two months ago, this anti-women’s rights “Catholic boy” was pulled over by an Indiana state trooper, found to be legally intoxicated, and charged with drunken driving. And that wasn’t all.

Mecklenborg also tested positive for Viagra, and had a passenger in the car — a 26-year old woman who was not his wife or daughter: An anti-abortion Ohio legislator’s embarrassing night out.

On Saturday, April 23 — in the wee hours of the morning after Good Friday — an Indiana state trooper pulled over Mecklenborg, who was driving in Dearborn County, with temporary Kentucky license plates. The officer stated in his report that he stopped Mecklenborg for a burned-out headlight, but then suspected he was intoxicated after he smelled alcohol and noticed the state rep’s “glossy, bloodshot eyes.”

Mecklenborg refused a chemical test, and then failed three field sobriety tests. After a blood test, he was charged with drunken driving. The 59-year-old married father of three also tested positive for Viagra.

Mecklenborg was not alone that evening. His passenger was a 26-year-old woman who is neither his wife nor one of his children.

In his incident report, the police officer noted that Mecklenborg’s inebriated state “endangered a person.” By “person,” we can assume he means a human life.

Mecklenborg, a Republican who represents western Hamilton County, pleaded not guilty. His court date is set for later this month.

He did not return my calls to his government or law offices, but he did offer an explanation, sort of, to WLWT-TV in Cincinnati on Thursday:

“Being human, I have made a mistake and this has caused great hurt to my family, and I’m deeply sorry for that. I’ve served tirelessly and well my constituents and I want to apologize to them as well. While the discovery process in this case goes on, I am entitled to the same presumption of innocence as any other citizen.”

When asked about his young passenger, Mecklenborg said, “I understand the interest in the DUI part, I guess, but the rest is a personal matter.”

And the plot thickens; Mecklenborg was apparently holding an expired driver’s license, and the car may have belonged to the female passenger.

Here’s what we know for sure:

• Mecklenborg has an Ohio drivers’ license (that appeared to have been expired at the time of his arrest.)
• He was driving a vehicle with a temporary tag issued by the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
• His passenger, Tiona Roberts, produced to the officer a Kentucky drivers’ license.

So, other than the fact that he was the driver, what evidence do we have that the car is Mecklenborg’s?  None.  So, if you take out that assumption that since he was driving it was his car it was his car, what does the available evidence point to?  That it was not his car, but likely Tiona Roberts.

There’s actually video of the traffic stop: