A state lawmaker from Louisville spent a night in jail last weekend after he failed to appear in court and pay fines for several traffic tickets.

State Rep. Reginald Meeks, D-Louisville, was booked into the Hardin County Detention Center on Sept. 21 and released Sept. 22 after posting $1,000 bail, according to jail and court records.

Meeks, 65, has served as a state representative since 2001.

In a statement to The Courier Journal, Meeks said it is "completely my fault for allowing my driving record to escalate to the point of becoming a distraction."

"I regret that the situation has reached this point but I am working to resolve everything quickly," Meeks said. "I will also make sure that something like this does not happen again.”

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His legal trouble stems from two speeding-related incidents in 2018 and 2019.

He was charged in May 2018 with speeding in Hardin County after a Kentucky State Police trooper allegedly tracked him and his Chevy Silverado going 91 mph in a 70 mph zone on Interstate 65, according to court records.

Meeks also could not produce proof of current insurance and had expired license plates, according to court records.

However, the speeding and expired license plate charges were dismissed in court in June 2018, with Meeks found guilty only of the insurance-related charge.

A Hardin District Court judge gave Meeks a "probated" fine of $1,000 that he would not have to pay if he met certain conditions and committed no other violations for two years.

However, Meeks violated the terms of his probation in November 2018 by failing to appear in court, according to court records. He was ordered to pay $184 for court costs and fees associated with the violation, records show.

And he found himself in trouble again this past March when a police officer clocked his Chevy Silverado going 87 mph in a 70 mph zone on I-64 East outside of Louisville.

According to online court records, Meeks was also ordered to pay a $134 fine in connection with the I-64 case.

Court records show a warrant was issued for his arrest on July 30 after Meeks had not made the required payments on the $134 fine.

He was finally arrested this past weekend and now faces upcoming hearings in the two traffic cases.

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Besides the two most recent cases, Meeks has been charged with several traffic-related violations over the years.

In 2015, he was cited for driving on West Broadway in Louisville with expired plates and expired insurance, according to court records. Those charges were later dismissed.

In 2008, Meeks was caught on I-264 East at Taylorsville Road driving 20 mph over the posted speed limit on a Kawasaki motorcycle, according to a citation. He had to pay a $134 fine in that case.

In 2007, Meeks was pulled over on I-264 going 21 mph over the speed limit in a Volvo E80, records show, and he paid a $129 fine.

For the I-64 speeding case, Meeks has an arraignment hearing scheduled for Oct. 4 in Jefferson District Court. For the Hardin County case, Meeks has a hearing scheduled for Oct. 16.

Reach Billy Kobin at bkobin@courierjournal.com or 502-582-7030. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe.