Holyoke City Councilor Kevin Jourdain Faces OUI Charges Following Early Morning Traffic Stop in West Springfield

Well, it seems Holyoke City Councilor Kevin Jourdain found himself in a rather unfortunate predicament early Tuesday morning, as State Police took him into custody in West Springfield. The charge? Operating Under the Influence of liquor, commonly known as OUI. It's certainly not the kind of news you expect to hear about a public official, especially so early in the week.

The whole thing unfolded when a State Police trooper, patrolling near the junction of Riverdale Road and Wayside Avenue, spotted Jourdain’s vehicle. According to the police report, the car wasn't exactly keeping a straight line, allegedly weaving and crossing those solid white lane dividers. To top it off, there was reportedly an abrupt lane change without so much as a blinker. Those kinds of observations, as you can imagine, are usually a surefire way to catch an officer's eye, prompting the trooper to initiate a traffic stop.

When the trooper approached the vehicle, things, apparently, didn't improve. Jourdain was reportedly showing signs consistent with impairment – glassy, bloodshot eyes and speech that was a bit slurred, which, let's be honest, raises immediate concerns. Consequently, he was asked to perform a series of field sobriety tests. And, well, he didn't pass them. Following these tests, the decision was made to place him under arrest.

Once under arrest, Jourdain was transported to the State Police-Springfield Barracks for booking. There, he reportedly refused to take a breathalyzer test, which, as many know, often carries its own implications in OUI cases. Beyond the OUI charge, he’s also facing citations for negligent operation of a motor vehicle, a marked lanes violation, and failing to signal a lane change. After the booking process, he was released on personal recognizance, meaning he didn't have to post bail, with a promise to appear in court.

Jourdain was slated for arraignment later that same Tuesday at West Springfield District Court, where these charges will officially be addressed. Now, for those unfamiliar with him, Kevin Jourdain is hardly a newcomer to Holyoke politics. He was elected to an at-large seat on the City Council just last November, in 2023. He's actually quite a long-serving public figure in the city, having previously served on the Holyoke School Committee and the City Council before, going back decades. In fact, this current term marks his return to the City Council after a hiatus since 2011, and he even once ran for state representative.

It's certainly a developing situation, and one that will undoubtedly be watched closely by the Holyoke community, given Jourdain’s prominent role. We'll have to see how things unfold in court, as is always the case with legal matters.