SC legislator charged with DUI. No injuries are reported.

COLUMBIA — A South Carolina House member was arrested Monday on charges of driving under the influence, according to court records.

Rep. Adam Duncan, a Seneca Republican, was released from the Oconee County jail Tuesday morning on a personal recognizance bond, meaning he does not have to pay as long as he continues to show up for court hearings.

Duncan was charged with first offense driving under the influence with a blood alcohol level of less than 0.10%, according to court records. He is due back in court May 7 for a hearing.

Duncan declined to comment when reached by the SC Daily Gazette. He does not yet have a lawyer.

A high school wrestling coach, Duncan was first elected in 2024, when he defeated Rep. Bill Sandifer in the Republican primary by just 62 votes. Sandifer, a nearly 30-year Statehouse veteran, was the longtime chairman of the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee.

Senators make bill strengthening SC’s DUI laws a priority for 2026

In February, the Senate unanimously passed a bill strengthening South Carolina’s DUI laws with changes prosecutors have sought for over a decade. It’s designed to remove loopholes that often make a conviction difficult and toughen penalties.

A House Judiciary subcommittee is scheduled to take up the legislation Wednesday morning. Duncan sits on the House Education Committee.

Under existing state law, a first conviction for a DUI that doesn’t cause injuries is punishable by a fine of $400 or a jail sentence of two to 30 days, though a judge can reduce the jail sentence to 48 hours of public service. First offenses can be tried in magistrate’s court.

Duncan is seeking re-election this year. Filing for this year’s ballots closed Monday.

No Republican filed to oppose Duncan in the June primary, making him the automatic GOP nominee for the conservative district in the state’s northwest corner. In November, he will face Democrat Candace Schutt and Libertarian Christopher Damian Des Marais.