Krista Perez, a 40-year-old Democrat campaigning for Washington state’s House of Representatives, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after her vehicle allegedly struck a parked car shortly after midnight on 11 August. Police said the collision caused a chain reaction damaging five vehicles; body-camera footage reportedly shows Perez crying and praying in a police car after declining roadside sobriety tests.

Officers cited the smell of alcohol, slurred speech, red eyes, mood swings and an unsteady gait. Perez said she had drunk one glass of wine, rated her sobriety as four out of ten and allegedly failed to provide a usable breath sample after three attempts; she was booked into Pierce County Jail and released about six hours later. She had won the Democratic primary for the 29th Legislative District and is due to face incumbent Melanie Morgan in November.