Idaho's U.S. Sen. Crapo arrested, charged with DUI

By Associated Press Published: Dec 23, 2012 at 8:12 PM PDT Last Updated: Dec 24, 2012 at 10:04 AM PDT
Idaho's U.S. Sen. Crapo arrested, charged with DUI
U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho (Nov. 2010 file photo)
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) - Idaho Sen. Michael Crapo was arrested early Sunday morning and charged with driving under the influence in a Washington, D.C., suburb, authorities said.

Police in Alexandria, Va., said Sunday that the three-term Republican was pulled over after his vehicle ran a red light. Police spokesman Jody Donaldson said Crapo failed field sobriety tests and was arrested at about 12:45 a.m. He was transported to the Alexandria jail and released on an unsecured $1,000 bond at about 5 a.m.

"There was no refusal (to take blood alcohol tests), no accident, no injuries," Donaldson said. "Just a traffic stop that resulted in a DUI."

Police said Crapo, who was alone in his vehicle, registered a blood alcohol level of .11 percent. The legal limit in Virginia, which has strict drunken driving laws, is .08 percent.

The 61-year-old Crapo (KRAY'-poh) has a Jan. 4 court date.

"I am deeply sorry for the actions that resulted in this circumstance," Crapo said in a statement Sunday night. "I made a mistake for which I apologize to my family, my Idaho constituents and any others who have put their trust in me. I accept total responsibility and will deal with whatever penalty comes my way in this matter. I will also undertake measures to ensure that this circumstance is never repeated."

In Virginia, the driver's license of anyone who registers a blood alcohol level of .08 percent or higher is automatically suspended for seven days. A first-time conviction for DUI carries a mandatory, minimum $250 fine and license revocation for one year, according to the state Department of Motor Vehicles.

A Crapo spokesman declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding the senator's arrest.

Elected in 1998, Crapo is in his third U.S. Senate term; he served for six years in the U.S. House of Representatives before that. He was easily re-elected in 2010 with more than 70 percent of the vote, and won't have to run again until 2016.

In Congress, Crapo has built a reputation as a staunch social and fiscal conservative. It was expected he would take over the top Republican spot next year on the Senate Banking Committee. He also serves on the Senate's budget and finance panels. Crapo was a member of the so-called "Gang of Six" senators that worked in 2011 toward a deficit-reduction deal that was never adopted by Congress.

A Mormon who grew up in Idaho Falls, Idaho, Crapo was named a bishop in the church at age 31. He is an attorney who graduated from Brigham Young University and Harvard Law School. He has five children with his wife, Susan, and three grandchildren.

The Mormon church prohibits the use of alcohol, as well as coffee, tea and other substances. About one-quarter of Idaho residents are Mormon.

Crapo has told The Associated Press in past interviews that he abstains from drinking alcohol.