New Brighton Mayor Valerie Johnson has been sentenced to two years of probation after being arrested over the weekend on charges of drunken driving.
Johnson, who pleaded guilty to the charge, will be required to undergo a chemical dependency evaluation and attend a Mothers Against Drunk Driving impact panel as part of her sentence, handed down Tuesday.
At the New Brighton City Council meeting Tuesday night, Johnson apologized to city officials and residents for her arrest early Sunday morning.
"There is no question that I was reckless and made a significant error in judgment that night," the mayor said at the start of the meeting.
She was pulled over for speeding by New Brighton police just before 2 a.m. Sunday at County Road E and Old Hwy. 8, according to the charges. The car she was driving had expired plates.
After failing a sobriety test, a breathalyzer showed that Johnson had a 0.17 blood alcohol content, more than double the legal limit, according to the charges.
Johnson, 60, was elected mayor in 2015, edging out incumbent Mayor Dave Jacobsen in a three-person race. She was reelected in 2017 with 54 percent of the votes.
"I am ready to accept the consequences of my actions, and I intend to take steps to ensure that I never make this mistake again," Johnson said at the council meeting.
