Oregon state Rep. Paul Evans (D-Monmouth) was officially arraigned on October 5, 2026 in Polk County Circuit Court on charges that included driving while under the influence of intoxicants. Evans, who has served as a state legislator since 2015, was taken into police custody on October 4 and was also charged with failure to perform duties of a driver and reckless driving.
Evans’ campaign manager, Jennifer Ranstrom-Smith, revealed that the Monmouth representative does not plan on stepping down from his current position, nor will he be ending his campaign for re-election to House District 20 in the November 3 election. The Democrat was out of police custody when he made an appearance in court, wearing a dark suit and striped tie.
An attorney representing Evans pleaded not guilty on the congressman’s behalf. “This past weekend, I made a very poor decision when early Sunday morning, I drove under the influence,” Evans went on to say in a statement given to the Statesman Journal. “I deeply regret letting down the community I have worked so hard to serve, and I take full responsibility for my actions,” he continued.
“Like many veterans, I’ve struggled with PTSD. I’ve used alcohol to cope. And this was a wake up call. I have taken the necessary first steps to get the help I need,” Evans said in the statement, according to the Statesman Journal. Court filings also revealed that Evans requested a DUII Diversion Agreement from the court.
This means that rather than going to trial, he would enter a guilty of no-contest plea and then complete a drug and alcohol assessment and treatment program, maintain sobriety, and install an ignition interlock device in his vehicle. Judge Norman Hill then allowed Evans to be released without any bail on the condition he doesn’t consume alcohol and does not go to any bars.
Evans’ request to go to a treatment facility for PTSD was approved by the judge. The facility is located in Arizona and he will be there for 20 to 45 days beginning on October 9. “I will allow that for those purposes,” Hill said during the hearing. This means that Evans will not be in the state of Oregon when the November election takes place.
The Democratic state congressman is due to return to court on October 28, which he will be allowed to attend by phone. Clackamas County will prosecute the case and a Lincoln County judge has been assigned to oversee it. At the time of the incident, Evans was driving a black Jeep when he hit a stop sign at the intersection of Main Street and B Street in Independence.
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Police found the Jeep badly parked in the parking lot of 7Eleven. When the driver tried to get out of the vehicle, it rolled backwards. Evans then told the officer at the scene he had three drinks in an eight-hour period when he was at the Elks Lodge and the first two were alcoholic in nature. The officer then said at the time that Evans’ speech was slurred and that he stunk of alcohol.
Featured Image: screenshot from embedded video