As part of a campaign to rein in dangerous drinking in Mankato, about 100 people were cited for underage drinking around Minnesota State University last weekend. Eighty miles away, the city's mayor sat in a Twin Cities detox center after police said he crashed into another car while driving drunk.

Mayor John Brady was arrested Saturday afternoon by Golden Valley police near Interstate 394 and Hopkins Crossroad after his car was reportedly seen proceeding erratically on Interstate 94 in Minneapolis. Police say he had an open container of alcohol in the vehicle.

Brady, 61, was in the metro area to catch a flight to China on city business. Reached by phone Tuesday, he declined to elaborate.

"I'm not worried about anything," said Brady, who has served 14 years in elected city office, including the last four as mayor. "I'm just going to get through it."

His attorney, Calvin Johnson, said the mayor "apologizes for the inconvenience that this may cause his professional responsibilities," and also "wants a quick and speedy resolution of this serious matter, and is initiating a process of recovery for himself and his community."

The southern Minnesota college town has been stung by several alcohol-related incidents that included deaths among young adults.

In response, the city tightened underage drinking laws and increased patrols, said City Manager Pat Hentges. Just last weekend, a saturation of patrols around Minnesota State University, Mankato yielded about 100 underage-drinking citations -- a decline of about 30 from last year.

"We're making some good progress," Hentges said. "Still, we do have problems."

In 2008, a Mankato high school student died from alcohol poisoning -- the third alcohol-related death in the city within eight months. In late 2007, former college student Amanda Jax died of alcohol poisoning after celebrating her 21st birthday in Mankato.

Brady served on the Mankato City Council from 1996 until he was elected mayor in 2006. He is running for reelection in November and faces opposition. He earns $18,000 a year for the part-time position.

Hentges called Brady's arrest "tragic," adding that nearly everyone in the city has been touched by some sort of alcohol-related tragedy. "This tells you how much of a societal problem this is," he said.

On Saturday, Brady was arrested while on his way to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to leave for China, where he and other city leaders are promoting a partnership that would train Chinese pilots at Minnesota State.

According to Golden Valley police, dispatchers got a call about a hit-and-run accident on 394 early Saturday afternoon. Officer pursued Brady, who allegedly refused to stop. He then rear-ended another vehicle, police said.

He was taken to detox and booked on suspicion of third-degree driving while intoxicated, having an open container of alcohol and failing to yield to an emergency vehicle.

Earlier that day, he had also been involved in a crash off Hwy. 169 and Hwy. 41 in Jackson Township.

According to court records, Brady pleaded guilty to a 1992 charge of drunken driving in Blue Earth County.

"We'd expect he'd set good examples especially with Mankato being a college town," said Brenda Thomas of the Minnesota chapter for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Hentges said that City Council members have not yet deliberated about the mayor's arrest. Elected officials are removed by the City Council or they may resign, Hentges said.

Council Member Mark Frost, whose wife was injured by a drunken driver, told the Mankato Free Press that he won't drop the matter. "This will not be the last of this."

Staff writer Bob von Sternberg contributed to this report. Kelly Smith • 612-673-4141