Stephen Kerrigan, the chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, is serving a one-year term of probation following an arrest on operating under the influence charges in Southborough last month.
Court records from Westborough District Court detail the case outcome, which includes a continuance without a finding on the primary charge, according to a report from local outlet WCVB.
According to a criminal complaint and police report, a Southborough Police Department officer was monitoring traffic on Turnpike Road (also referred to as Route 9 Middle Road) at approximately 12 a.m. on June 13, when the officer observed Kerrigan’s gray 2017 BMW SUV traveling in the middle of both lanes, over a dotted white line. The officer stopped the vehicle, in which Kerrigan was the sole occupant.
The officer’s report states that Kerrigan said he was going home from a restaurant. “As I was speaking with Stephen, his eyes appeared to be glassy and bloodshot red,” the report reads.
The officer reported being unable to detect the smell of alcohol “due to an overwhelming odor of cologne.” They further noted that Kerrigan slurred his words and stated that he consumed two beers after dinner around 6 p.m.
BREAKING: Stephen Kerrigan, the chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, was arrested for DUI.
He has reportedly been ordered to complete an Impaired Driving Program and faces a 45-day license suspension. pic.twitter.com/mubsANIcpE
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 23, 2026
A breath test at 12:55 a.m. registered a blood alcohol content of 0.089 percent, followed minutes later by a reading of 0.086 percent. Both exceeded the Massachusetts legal limit of 0.08 percent, WCVB reported.
Kerrigan was charged with OUI liquor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and a marked lanes violation. He appeared in Westborough District Court on June 15, where he entered a plea of admission to sufficient facts on the OUI charge, acknowledging that prosecutors had enough evidence for a conviction.
The court ultimately continued the OUI charge without a finding. The negligent operation charge was dismissed, and he was found not responsible for the marked lanes violation.
Under the terms set by the court, Kerrigan was placed on probation through June 15, 2027. Conditions require completion of a state-approved driver alcohol education or impaired driving program, payment of $600 in assessments and fees (with some reports citing a total of approximately $650 including related costs), and a 45-day driver’s license suspension.
He must also conduct regular check-ins with a probation officer and obtain permission before traveling outside Massachusetts. Successful completion of probation without further legal issues would result in dismissal of the OUI charge.
Kerrigan responded to the case in a statement issued through his attorney, Andrea Levy. “In June, I was pulled over for a marked lanes violation and blew a .089 on the breathalyzer. I regret and take full responsibility for my actions and their consequences and appreciate the Southborough Police Department and the Westborough Court for their professionalism and service,” the statement read.
Kerrigan has served as party chair since April 2023. He is also president and CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center in Worcester and serves on the Lancaster Select Board. His prior roles include chief of staff to former Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly, CEO of the 2012 Democratic National Convention, and the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 2014.
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