Dan Pabon, a state representative and the No. 2 Democratic lawmaker in the Colorado House, has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Pabon, 39, was charged with the DUI late on the night of March 17 and offered a tearful apology on the statehouse floor the next week. He said that he had consumed five or six beers in the course of the night and that he would accept the consequences, the Denver Post reported.
He'll serve a year of probation, 56 hours of public service, pay court costs and fees of about $1,300 and will go through alcohol education and treatment.
He'll also attend a "victim impact panel," where he'll hear from people affected by drunk driving -- a new requirement introduced by a law that he worked to get passed.
It's widely expected that Pabon will face Ben Higgins, a recent "bachelor" from The Bachelor, in this fall's election for District 4, covering western parts of Denver.
Higgins, who recently moved to Denver with his bride-to-be, reportedly has been meeting with conservative big-wigs. Both KDVR and KWGN ran anonymously sourced stories last week saying that Higgins would be on the ballot.
