A Vermont lawmaker who has pushed for tougher drunken driving laws has been charged with driving under the influence.
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Department says state Representative Peter Perley was arrested last week after a clerk at a convenience store called to report an intoxicated man. Authorities say Perley allegedly tried to pull away as a deputy attempted to handcuff him.
Sheriff Robert W. Norris says Perley’s blood alcohol content was .159, almost twice the legal limit.
Perley, a Republican from Enosburg Falls, tells The Burlington Free Press he made a serious mistake and is embarrassed by it. He says he still supports legislation that would impose stricter penalties for drunken driving convictions.