Tacoma police arrested a progressive candidate for the state Legislature on suspicion of impaired driving this week.
Krista Perez was reportedly booked into jail in Pierce County just past 7:30 a.m. Tuesday on a charge of driving while intoxicated, a gross misdemeanor. She was released six hours later, according to jail records.
Efforts to immediately obtain the police report on the arrest were unsuccessful.
The arrest came just a week after Perez made a strong showing in the primary race for a House seat in the 29th Legislative District. She leads incumbent state Rep. Melanie Morgan, D-Parkland, by over two percentage points, or nearly 400 votes.
As they’re the only two candidates running, both automatically advance to the November general election. The race is seen as a test of whether a progressive challenger can unseat a more moderate Democrat. The district covers most of south and east Tacoma, Parkland, Spanaway, and parts of Lakewood.
Perez did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.
She may comment at some point in the future “regarding an investigation pertaining to an uncharged case,” attorney Bryan G. Hershman said in a statement issued by officials at Argo Strategies, Perez’s campaign consultant.
Tuesday’s arrest isn’t deterring Perez’s pursuit of a legislative seat, he noted.
She “chooses, instead, to focus on the important issues that matter most to the families of this community” and is “incredibly grateful” for the support she’s received, said Hershman, a Tacoma-based defense attorney. He declined to provide further information about Perez’s case.
Perez, who is a strategic partnerships manager for the state Department of Commerce, was reportedly working Wednesday and Thursday. Her responsibilities include the Community Reinvestment Program.
She published a book in 2022 explaining how marginalized groups can implement “transformative and healing practices within their communities.”
Last year, she ran for Tacoma City Council, but didn’t advance past the primary.
In this year’s primary, Perez led Morgan 48.9% to 46.6% as of Thursday.
Perez, who is backed by the Service Employees International Union and the Washington Federation of State Employees, two powerful statewide unions, has attacked Morgan for the incumbent’s vote against the state’s new high-earners income tax.
Morgan, whose endorsers include Gov. Bob Ferguson, could not be immediately reached for comment.
Originally published on dailyrecordnews.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.
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