SEATTLE -- King County Councilwoman Jane Hague, a Republican who's running for re-election, has been charged with driving under the influence.
A King County sheriff's deputy who pulled her over said he twice saw her Mercedes convertible nearly hit a median on state Route 520 near Bellevue the night of June 2.
Hague recorded blood-alcohol readings of 0.135 and 0.141, according to court records. The legal limit is 0.08.
The deputy said Hague told him she had consumed two glasses of wine that night and was "sarcastic and condescending" during her arrest.
Once in the patrol car, the deputy said, Hague used foul language, at one point asking, "Don't you have rapists to take off the street?"
Hague, 61, pleaded not guilty late last month and is scheduled to appear in King County District Court in Redmond on Aug. 29.
Her attorney, Doug Cowan, said his client intends "to vigorously defend the case."
In a statement issued Tuesday, her campaign spokesman Brett Bader said Hague had not been feeling well the day of her arrest, had not slept much the night before and drove home from a children's charity event because her husband was recovering from hip surgery and had been advised to limit his driving.
"She later decided to have him drive the remainder of the way and pulled over in a safe location. After the car was parked, a patrol vehicle pulled in behind them and made contact," Bader's statement said.
"Obviously Jane is very upset over the situation and wants to deal with this in an appropriate and responsible manner," the statement said. "We do have concerns with some of the events as reported that evening so we will move forward in that regard and, upon advice of counsel, we can really add nothing more until this matter proceeds further."
The DUI charge was filed July 16.
Dan Donohoe, a spokesman for the King County Prosecutor's Office, said office administrators were not aware of the case until reporters inquired about it Tuesday.
The charge was filed against Jane Hague Springman, Hague's married name. A new deputy prosecutor may not have recognized the name as that of a county council member, Donohoe said.
The prosecutor's office turned the case over to the Redmond City Attorney's office on Tuesday to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. The county's civil division gives legal advice to the County Council.
A council member since 1994, Hague ran unopposed for the Republican nomination in Tuesday's primary. She represents the Bellevue-Kirkland area.
