A Democratic candidate who had just taken the lead in one of Washington's closest legislative primaries was booked into Pierce County jail early Tuesday on suspicion of driving under the influence, after her pickup truck plowed into a chain of parked cars in a South Tacoma neighborhood.
When officers tried to administer field sobriety tests, Perez repeatedly said she did not understand the instructions, and she was unable to use the breathalyzer device correctly despite repeated coaching from officers, leaving the test results incomplete.
A DUI charge alone carries no legal weight in Washington's candidate-qualification process, but a margin measured in the hundreds leaves little room for even a modest swing in public opinion before ballots go out again in the fall.
State House Republican John Ley won election to the 18th District seat in November 2024 while facing two felony voter-fraud charges tied to where he lived when he filed to run, according to OPB .
Olsen pleaded not guilty and stayed in office.
Krista Perez led incumbent Rep. Melanie Morgan by 380 votes in Washington's 29th District primary when her pickup struck five parked cars in Tacoma, triggering a DUI charge with a breath-test refusal enhancement.