A Democratic legislative candidate who had just celebrated a primary victory is now dealing with a criminal case that could complicate her campaign for the Washington state House.
The late-night episode involved a chain-reaction collision, five damaged vehicles, an early-morning jail booking and questions that her campaign has not publicly answered.
Krista Rose Perez, who finished first in the August 4 primary for Washington’s 29th Legislative District, Position 1, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after a crash in Tacoma shortly after midnight on August 11.
Police said Perez’s 2019 Chevrolet Silverado struck a parked vehicle on South G Street, starting a chain reaction that ultimately damaged five vehicles.
Each of the parked vehicles was unoccupied, and authorities reported that no one was injured despite the number of cars caught in the collision.
Jail records show that Perez was booked into Pierce County Corrections at 7:33 a.m., approximately seven hours after the collision was reported.
The delay between the crash and her booking was attributed to a hospital visit for medical clearance before she was taken to the county jail.
Her bail was set at $1,000 cash or bond, and records show she posted bond before being released at 1:50 p.m. that afternoon.
A Democrat running for the Washington Legislature told police she drank wine, then asked to go home before taking a sobriety test. Exclusive body cam shows Krista Perez sobbing and praying in the back of a patrol car after her Tacoma DUI arrest. Watch the video. pic.twitter.com/cc7rwvJEpF
— Jason Rantz on Seattle Red (@jasonrantz) September 16, 2026
Police body-camera footage later published by media outlets showed Perez telling an officer that she had consumed wine before the collision.
When an officer asked whether she had been in an accident, Perez initially answered, “I did not,” before saying she did not know what had happened and had never been in an accident before.
Asked whether she had consumed alcohol that night, Perez replied, “I just had some wine while I was there,” according to the footage.
The officer then explained that roadside sobriety exercises were voluntary, and Perez declined to perform them after asking whether she was permitted to say no.
When the officer clarified whether she was refusing the exercises, Perez confirmed her decision and said, “Yeah, I would like to go home first.”
Reporting based on the arrest record said prosecutors later filed a DUI charge with a refusal enhancement connected to a breath-testing process at police headquarters.
Police said Perez did not provide a usable breath sample during three attempts before the testing machine timed out at headquarters.
A source familiar with the incident said Perez did not identify herself as a political candidate or ask officers for special treatment during the encounter.
Perez’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment, leaving unanswered how the arrest might affect her public schedule or campaign message.
Perez had finished first in the primary only seven days earlier, advancing to the November general election in the heavily Democratic Tacoma-area district.
Washington’s top-two primary system sends the two candidates receiving the most votes to the general election regardless of party affiliation.
Perez is scheduled to face incumbent Democratic state Rep. Melanie Morgan, meaning voters will choose between two Democrats for the Position 1 seat.
The arrest does not automatically remove Perez from the ballot or prevent her from serving in the Legislature if she wins the general election.
The case nevertheless adds an unexpected legal issue to a campaign that had been focused on replacing an incumbent and persuading voters that the district needed new representation.
The absence of injuries limits the physical toll of the collision, but five vehicle owners were left dealing with property damage from the chain reaction.
Perez has not been convicted, and the allegations against her remain subject to the court process, where she is entitled to the presumption of innocence, USA Journal reported.
For voters, the case now becomes part of the information available as they assess Perez and Morgan before ballots are cast in November.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
