Michigan State Police bodycam footage has just been released showing the shocking DUI arrest of U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Ludington, a 72-year-old federal judge serving the Eastern District of Michigan. The incident took place on October 3, 2025, in Emmet County, Michigan, near Ludington's vacation home outside of Petoskey. In the video, troopers respond to reports of a black Cadillac CT6 driving erratically with hazard lights on, striking two traffic signs, and crashing on a rural curved road in Springvale Township. When officers arrive, they find Ludington sitting inside the heavily damaged vehicle, confused about why his airbags deployed and unable to explain how the crash happened. Despite being a sitting federal judge, Ludington's status did not change how troopers handled the stop and for good reason. The bodycam footage captures Ludington slurring his words, failing sobriety tests, and denying he had consumed any alcohol telling the trooper, "I don't think I had anything." Officers noted a strong odor of alcohol, and it took multiple attempts just to get Ludington to properly blow into the preliminary breath test device. He was ultimately placed in handcuffs after the trooper stated clearly, "You are very clearly intoxicated." A subsequent test revealed Ludington's blood alcohol content was a staggering 0.27, more than three times Michigan's legal limit of 0.08. Under Michigan law, a BAC of 0.17 or higher qualifies as "super drunk," a separate criminal charge that carries enhanced penalties. Ludington was charged with operating while intoxicated and operating with a high BAC, and was released after posting a $500 bond. He has a status conference scheduled for April 6 and a trial date of May 8 in the 90th District Court in Emmet County. Despite the arrest occurring in October 2025, Ludington continued to serve as a sitting federal judge for over four months without public disclosure. After the bodycam video surfaced, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan announced that Ludington volunteered to take a leave of absence pending resolution of the case. Because federal judges receive lifetime appointments under the U.S. Constitution, Ludington can only be removed through impeachment a process requiring a simple majority in the House and a two-thirds majority in the Senate. This case has drawn national attention and raises serious questions about judicial accountability and transparency in the legal system. 🔔 Subscribe to Police Bodycam Arrests HQ for the latest bodycam footage, DUI arrests, police encounters, and law enforcement news! 👍 Like, Comment & Share if you found this video informative! ℹ️ Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:22 Traffic Stop of U.S. District Judge 1:37 Field Sobriety Test 3:45 Breathalyzer Test 4:10 Vehicle Damage 4:48 Field Sobriety Test Again 5:42 Breathalyzer Test Again 8:01 Arrest of U.S District Judge 9:30 Bodycam Breakdown 10:13 Outro Disclaimer: This video contains footage of a real-life incident. Viewer discretion is advised. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This content is provided strictly for informational and educational purposes. All footage is publicly released, used under fair use principles or from the Freedom of Information Act - FOIA

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