Washington Democratic Candidate Charged With DUI After Crash

Police bodycam footage shows Washington state Democratic House candidate Krista Perez admitting to drinking wine, denying involvement in a multi-vehicle crash, and refusing field sobriety tests before sobbing and praying in a patrol car following her DUI arrest. The incident occurred on August 11, 2026, in Tacoma, just days after Perez finished first in her primary for the 29th Legislative District. According to charging documents and the footage, Perez, 40, was driving her Chevrolet Silverado shortly after midnight when it allegedly struck a parked car on South G Street, triggering a chain reaction that damaged five vehicles. No injuries were reported. When officers arrived, Perez denied being in an accident, telling an officer, "I did not," and adding, "I don't know. I've never been in an accident before." The bodycam video captures Perez telling police she had consumed "one glass of wine" at a friend's business. When asked to rate her sobriety on a scale of zero to ten, she initially requested to go home but then rated herself a four. Officers repeatedly explained that standardized field sobriety tests were voluntary, but Perez declined, stating, "Not right now.