Craig DeRoche

Craig M. DeRoche (born October 4, 1970) is a Republican Party politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. He was a member of the Michigan Legislature from January 1, 2003, to January 1, 2009.

DeRoche was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives to represent the 38th District in the general election on November 5, 2002. The constituency includes the communities of Novi, Wixom, Walled Lake, Lyon Township, South Lyon, and portions of Northville.

In 2005, after being elected to a second term in the November 2, 2004, general election, DeRoche was elected speaker of the House of Representatives by his colleagues. He served as speaker until the Democrats won a political majority in the general election on November 7, 2006. [1]

From 2007 until leaving the House of Representatives due to term limitations in 2009, he was the Republican leader.

DeRoche has announced that he is not a candidate in 2010 for the 18th Senate District seat held by Nancy Cassis, who is prohibited by term limitations from seeking re-election to a third term.

During the 2008 presidential election campaign, DeRoche was co-chairman of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's campaign in Michigan.[2]

Congressman C. Peter Hoekstra has announced DeRoche's endorsement in his 2010 campaign for governor of Michigan.[3]

Before being elected to the House of Representatives, DeRoche was a member of the Novi City Council. Prior to serving on in the Council, DeRoche lost to Cassis in the 1996 Republican Party primary election for the House of Representatives. [4]

DeRoche was arrested on charges of suspected drunk driving on February 9, 2010 in Saline, Michigan. [5] The circumstances of DeRoche’s arrest were somewhat unusual as the police report noted that he was observed ducking in and out of local businesses in an apparent effort to avoid encountering the police, who had been called to the scene by a person who observed DeRoche driving his car erratically. The arresting officer watched DeRoche drop a duffle bag near a dumpster. The bag was later found to have an open bottle of vodka and a pair of sneakers inside. According to the police report, DeRoche had difficulty standing, slurred speech and could not answer questions. DeRoche consented to blood tests and registered a blood alcohol content of .249 during a preliminary breathalyzer. [6]

On Wednesday, March 10, 2010, after an investigation by the Saline City Attorney, DeRoche was formally charged with one count of first-offense operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a misdemeanor. [7] On April 10, 2010, it was reported that DeRoche pleaded guilty to impaired driving, also a misdemeanor, and will be sentenced in May, 2010. [8]

Less than two weeks after he was sentenced to six months probation on an impaired driving charge, former state House Speaker Craig DeRoche was arrested early Sunday (June 27, 2010) morning after a family member called and said he was intoxicated and carrying a gun. [9]

DeRoche is married and has three daughters. He is a resident of Novi, and an active member of the Michigan Republican Party. He graduated from Walled Lake Western High School in 1988 and Central Michigan University.

Electoral history

• 2006 House of Representatives (38th District) General Election
  • Craig DeRoche (R), 59%
  • Tim Jarrell (D), 40%
  • Other, 1%

• 2004 House of Representatives (38th District) General Election
  • Craig DeRoche (R), 61%
  • Joan Morgan (D), 38%

• 2002 House of Representatives (38th District) General Election
  • Craig DeRoche (R), 68%
  • Linda E. Premo (D), 31%

Quotes

• "I represent sprawl."[10]
• "[A] key component to turning the economy around in Michigan is the infrastructure.," [11]
• “It’s embarrassing, but this wasn’t a run-of-the-mill drunken driving incident." [12]

Persondata
Name	Deroche, Craig
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	October 4, 1970
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death