Allen West's wife released after being arrested for alleged DWI with grandkid in car

close

Video

Fox News Flash top headlines for August 22

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

The wife of Republican Texas gubernatorial candidate Allen West was released Saturday after being arrested on Friday night for allegedly driving while intoxicated (DWI) with her young grandson in the car.

West tweeted out an update late Saturday afternoon saying his wife, Angela, was "released" and thanked his followers for the "many messages with support and prayers." 

West's wife was stopped by a Dallas officer assigned with the DWI Squad for a traffic violation before 8:45 p.m. Friday. The officer suspected West was intoxicated and performed a field sobriety test on her. After the field test, West was taken into custody and charged with "driving while intoxicated with a child under 15 years old," the Dallas Police Department told Fox News.

West's infant grandson, Jackson, was released to a family member after his grandmother's arrest.

The arrest drew strong rebuke from West, the former chairman of the Texas Republican Party, who called the arrest "insidious" in a video he posted on Twitter Saturday morning.

In the video, West said he spoke to people who were with his wife at PF Chang's earlier that night and claimed they told him she was only drinking "water and lemonade." He also blasted the Dallas Police Department for not letting him see his wife or talk to a supervisor about the arrest.

"The thing that upsets me the most is that they [Dallas police] took my wife, arrested her, brought her to jail and left my grandson with two Dallas police officers," West said in the Twitter video. "Luckily, they were able to get in contact with our youngest daughter, Austin, who was able to go and pick up Jackson [West’s grandson] from two police officers on the side of the road… I support the thin blue line but this is insidious."

On Sunday, West posted a photo of his wife's receipt from PF Chang's showing that no alcohol had been ordered. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

West also posted a thread from his daughter, Austen Brianna Durton, detailing the events of Friday night from her perspective. She said it left her with "an array of emotions." 

"My mom was wrongfully imprisoned. My father, sister, and the rest of my family lost sleep over my mom being in there." 

"My mom puts her grandson above everybody at this point," Durton wrote. "At no point would my mom ever do anything to endanger him." 

She added: "Now, my family backs the blue, but this situation clearly proves that there are still tainted officers in the DPD. This needs to be handled in a timely manner. This is not just for my family but for the families who have been through this before."