Seattle City Council candidate Venus Velazquez was arrested last Wednesday night in Ballard for drunken driving after leaving a restaurant where she had dinner and drinks.

She had participated in a candidate's forum at the Sunset Hill Community Club earlier that night.

Velazquez was pulled over in Ballard around 11:30 p.m. Oct. 17 for speeding and failing to stay within a traffic lane. According to the police report, she was going about 50 miles per hour in 30 mile per hour zone.

The officer reported that he saw Velazquez's green Volvo Station Wagon cross the double yellow line near Ballard Avenue Northwest.

A public affairs consultant, Velazquez is running for Position 3, the seat being vacated by Peter Steinbrueck. Her opponent, attorney Bruce Harrell, said he would not comment on whether the arrest would help his chances for the City Council seat. Instead, he would rather continue to talk about the major issues facing the city, such as transportation and public safety, he said.

"I'm just staying focused on our platform," said Harrell who was contacted at his law office last Friday morning.

Velazquez submitted to a field sobriety test and a roadside breath test after being pulled over, but those findings have not been released as of this report. She was arrested and cited for driving under the influence, along with two other minor traffic violations.

The City Council candidate refused a state certified breath test once at the police station.

She could lose her driver's license for one year.

On Saturday, Velazques pleaded not guilty to the Seattle Municipal Court on the charge of drunken driving. A pre-trial hearing is schedule for Nov. 19.

Velazquez had gone to The BalMar cocktail lounge after the forum Wednesday with some campaign staff and other supporters. She said she had two drinks but didn't believe she was unable to drive.

Velazquez's car was impounded that night because she had pulled over in a bus zone.

The officer who stopped Velazquez noted in his report that she was not carrying her driver's license. A credit card with her name on it was used to confirm her identity, according to the police report.

Velazquez did not spend the night in custody.

On her campaign Web site, Velazquez apologizes for her actions and pleads for voters to forgive what she has publicly called a "human mistake."

"I take this charge very seriously and accept full responsibility for my actions," Velazquez's statement reads. "I am more sorry about this incident than I can express in words. I am also sorry for the impact this will have on you, my supporters. I would never intentionally put others at risk or violate the great trust so many of you have given me."

Rebekah Schilperoort may be reached at 783.1244 or rebekahs@robinsonnews.com