Washington House Candidate Krista Perez Pleads Not Guilty After DUI Arrest and Five-Vehicle Crash
Democratic Washington state House candidate Krista Perez is facing a criminal case just weeks after emerging from a competitive primary, adding an unexpected legal issue to a November election that was already set to pit two Democrats against each other.
Perez was arrested in Tacoma on Aug. 11 after police said her pickup truck struck a parked vehicle and triggered a chain reaction involving four additional vehicles. She was later charged with driving under the influence, with an enhancement related to an alleged failure to provide an adequate breath sample.
Perez pleaded not guilty to the charge during her first court appearance on Sept. 18 in Tacoma Municipal Court. Judge Steven Krupa released her on her own recognizance, and a pretrial hearing is scheduled for Oct. 30.
The case has attracted renewed attention after police body-camera footage from the arrest was released publicly, showing Perez acknowledging that she had consumed wine before the crash and declining voluntary field sobriety tests.
The criminal case remains pending, and a charge is not a finding of guilt.
Perez Won a Closely Contested Democratic Primary
Perez finished first in the Aug. 4 primary for Washington’s 29th Legislative District, Position 1, narrowly defeating incumbent Democratic Rep. Melanie Morgan.
Perez received approximately 48.9% of the vote, while Morgan received about 46.6%, according to results reported after the primary. Because Washington uses a top-two primary system, both Democrats advanced to the November general election.
The Washington secretary of state’s candidate certification also lists both Morgan and Perez as candidates for the position.
That means the November contest will remain a Democratic-versus-Democratic race despite the criminal case surrounding Perez.
What Happened in Tacoma
The crash occurred shortly after midnight on Aug. 11 in the 3700 block of South G Street near Lincoln High School, according to police and court documents.
Authorities said Perez’s 2019 Chevrolet Silverado struck a parked vehicle, setting off a chain reaction that damaged four additional parked vehicles. The vehicles were unoccupied, and no injuries were reported.
Police subsequently arrested Perez on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Jail records show she was booked into Pierce County Corrections at 7:33 a.m., several hours after the initial crash. The delay followed a hospital visit for medical clearance, according to reporting based on the police and jail records. She was later released after posting $1,000 bail.
Body-Camera Footage Brings New Attention to the Case
The case received renewed public attention in September after body-camera footage from the arrest was released.
According to footage and police reports cited by multiple news organizations, Perez told an officer that she had consumed wine before the crash. When asked about her sobriety, she reportedly rated herself a four on a scale in which the officer asked her to assess how sober she was.
The officer offered field sobriety tests and explained that they were voluntary. Perez ultimately declined to participate. Police then arrested her on suspicion of DUI.
Footage from inside the patrol vehicle also showed Perez crying and praying after she was placed under arrest. Those reactions are visible in the released footage, but they do not by themselves establish whether she was impaired at the time of the collision.
The DUI Charge Includes a Breath-Test Enhancement
The criminal complaint includes an enhancement connected to an alleged refusal or failure to provide a usable breath sample after the arrest.
That issue is separate from Perez’s decision to decline the roadside field sobriety exercises. The Washington State Standard reported that police said Perez later failed to provide an adequate breath sample during testing at police headquarters.
The distinction matters because the roadside exercises and the subsequent breath-testing procedure are separate parts of the investigation.
Perez has pleaded not guilty to the underlying DUI charge.
Perez’s Attorneys Have Pushed Back on the Coverage
Perez’s defense attorneys have objected to the amount of attention the case has received, particularly following publication of the body-camera footage.
At her Sept. 18 court appearance, attorney Bryan G. Hershman told the Washington State Standard, “It’s a DUI. Why do people care?” and said the focus should remain on the campaign. Another attorney, Scott McGinty, also expressed frustration that media organizations had obtained body-camera footage before the defense.
The comments came as the case moved into the pretrial phase.
The Case Does Not End the Campaign
The criminal charge does not automatically remove Perez from the ballot.
Perez remains listed as the Democratic candidate for the 29th Legislative District, Position 1, and is scheduled to face Morgan in the Nov. 3 general election.
The legal proceedings and the campaign will therefore continue on parallel tracks.
For the campaign, the timing is notable because the arrest occurred only one week after Perez’s primary victory. The primary margin was less than three percentage points, meaning the race had already produced a relatively narrow result before the DUI case emerged.
What Happens Next
Perez’s next scheduled court proceeding is a pretrial hearing on Oct. 30, according to the Washington State Standard. The November election is scheduled for Nov. 3.
The case could therefore remain active during the closing weeks of the campaign.
For now, the established facts are that Perez was arrested following a five-vehicle collision, prosecutors charged her with DUI with a breath-test-related enhancement, and she has pleaded not guilty. The allegations contained in the criminal case have not been adjudicated.
The November election and the criminal proceedings will proceed separately, leaving voters to consider the campaign while the courts determine the outcome of the DUI case.
Benjamin Harris is a RapidReports front page contributor and editor,proud father of four.
