MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — A court date has been set for Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough on a driving while intoxicated charge. The charge came after a three-car crash in The Woodlands on Sept. 10.
Keough will be in court on Jan. 5 to answer the charge.
In the accident, Keough was involved in a wreck with a Montgomery County deputy constable and a third driver at the intersection of Blue Fox and Grogans Mill roads.
Troopers said the judge lost control of his car and struck the civilian's car first, and then the deputy's vehicle was struck.
Keough was badly injured and needed surgery. The Montgomery County Pct. 5 deputy constable was hurt in the crash but was treated at a local hospital and released. The civilian driver was unhurt.
According to court records, Keough had Ambien – a sleeping medication – in his system the day of the accident. He told investigators that he was prescribed and was taking Ambien.
Keough responded by releasing a Facebook video Tuesday afternoon, saying the sleeping aid was legally prescribed and monitored by his doctor.
“I want to make it abundantly clear to you there was no alcohol present,” Keough said. “There were no illegal substances present at the time of the crash. The allegations are that my legally-prescribed and physician-monitored sleep aid was in my system at the time from the night before. According to the information I received, the sleep aid in my blood was within normal therapeutic levels and I assure you was taken according to my physician’s orders.”
The full video can be seen here:
On Wednesday morning, Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon said the warrant was issued on Tuesday for the Class B misdemeanor.
In a statement, Ligon quoted President Theodore Roosevelt, saying 'no man is abovel the law, and no man is below it; nor do we ask any man’s permission when we ask him to obey it.”