Former New Orleans City Council member Jared Brossett is back in court, this time on a fresh allegation of driving while intoxicated, according to Orleans Parish records.
Brossett, 43, was arrested Sunday, May 24, and appeared in Orleans Parish Magistrate Court after being booked on related charges. It is the latest in a series of alcohol‑related incidents involving the former District D councilman.
Online Orleans Parish records list Brossett as booked with driving while intoxicated, violating minimum speed and unlawfully refusing to submit to a chemical test. According to FOX 8, the booking occurred May 24, and a magistrate set his total bond at $6,000. Records also indicate he was represented by the Orleans Public Defenders office at his first appearance.
Third Known DWI and the 2020 Crash
Brossett has two prior DWI episodes on his public record.
In June 2020 he was booked after a city‑owned Chevrolet Tahoe he was driving crossed the neutral ground and collided head‑on with another vehicle on the 2400 block of Elysian Fields. The city SUV was later declared a total loss. WDSU reported that the 2020 case was resolved through an agreement that included counseling and restitution, allowing him to avoid prosecution.
What Happened in 2021
In October 2021, New Orleans police were flagged down after a passerby spotted a man asleep in a running Lexus on the 3100 block of Elysian Fields. Officers later identified the driver as Brossett.
The public radio outlet WWNO reported that officers detected a strong odor of alcohol and that Brossett performed poorly on a standardized field sobriety test at the traffic unit headquarters. WWNO also noted that during DWI processing he requested a lawyer.
Employment and Response
Public meeting minutes from the Downtown Development District list Brossett on staff in public policy roles and later in a compliance position for the DDD’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program. His name appears on finance and board meeting attendance lists, indicating he was actively involved with the organization.
FOX 8 reported that neither Brossett nor the Downtown Development District could be reached for comment on Monday.
Legal Note
Under Louisiana’s implied‑consent law, a driver arrested for DWI is considered to have agreed in advance to chemical testing and can face administrative penalties such as license suspension for refusing a test. In some cases, refusal can carry separate penalties on top of any DWI charge.
See Louisiana Revised Statutes §32:661 on Justia for the statutory language and the warnings officers must provide.
Court records show the current matter is in Orleans Parish Magistrate Court and remains pending.
Public and archival records show Brossett was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in 2009 and later won the District D seat on the New Orleans City Council in 2014, securing re‑election in 2017. As of publication, reporters and court clerks had not posted any later hearings online.
