The chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party is now serving a year of probation after being arrested last month on operating under the influence charges in Southborough.
Stephen Kerrigan, who has led the state party since April 2023, received a continuance without a finding on the primary OUI charge following proceedings at Westborough District Court.
According to a report citing court records and a Southborough Police Department filing, an officer was monitoring traffic on Turnpike Road around midnight on June 13 when he spotted Kerrigan’s gray 2017 BMW SUV drifting across both lanes over a dotted white line. Kerrigan was the only person in the vehicle.
The officer noted that Kerrigan’s eyes appeared glassy and bloodshot. He said he was heading home from a restaurant. The officer could not detect the smell of alcohol, noting in his report an “overwhelming odor of cologne,” but did observe slurred speech. Kerrigan told the officer he had consumed two beers after dinner around 6 p.m.
A breathalyzer test at 12:55 a.m. returned a blood alcohol content of 0.089 percent. A second reading minutes later came in at 0.086 percent. Both exceeded Massachusetts’ legal limit of 0.08 percent.
Kerrigan was charged with OUI liquor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and a marked lanes violation. He appeared in court on June 15 and entered a plea of admission to sufficient facts on the OUI charge, acknowledging that prosecutors had enough evidence for a conviction.
The court continued the OUI charge without a finding. The negligent operation charge was dismissed, and he was found not responsible for the marked lanes violation.
His probation runs through June 15, 2027. The terms include completion of a state-approved alcohol education or impaired driving program, roughly $600 to $650 in assessments and fees, a 45-day driver’s license suspension, regular check-ins with a probation officer, and prior approval before traveling outside Massachusetts. If he completes probation without further legal issues, the OUI charge will be dismissed entirely.
Kerrigan addressed the case in a statement 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.
Beyond his role as party chair, Kerrigan serves as president and CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center in Worcester and sits on the Lancaster Select Board. His resume includes serving as 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.