Democrat candidate Krista Perez rated her own sobriety four out of ten before sobbing and praying in police car after DUI arrest

From the Newshound archive · first published 19 September 2026.

Krista Perez, a 40-year-old Democrat running for a Washington state House seat, told officers she had drunk wine before rating her own sobriety four out of ten at a Tacoma traffic stop in the early hours of August 11. Body camera footage shows her denying being in an accident despite her vehicle allegedly colliding with a parked car and triggering a chain reaction that damaged five vehicles in total. Perez was then placed in a patrol car where she wept and prayed, begging officers to let her go home.

Perez had won the August 4 primary and is set to face incumbent Representative Melanie Morgan in November.

Officers cited slurred speech, red eyes, an unsteady gait and noticeable mood swings as grounds for her arrest.

When asked how large her glass of wine was, Perez told officers: 'I think you might need to contact the business.'