Idaho Senator Mike Crapo admits to drunken driving in Virginia

(Reuters) - Republican Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho pleaded guilty on Friday to a drunken driving charge but will avoid jail time if he remains on good behavior for a year, a prosecutor said.

Crapo, a Mormon who has said he doesn't drink alcohol, was pulled over in Alexandria, Virginia, on December 23 for running a red traffic signal. Police said they arrested the senior senator from Idaho after he failed several field sobriety tests.

Crapo, 61, was alone in his car at the time. Police said his blood alcohol content was 0.11 percent, above the 0.08 percent limit at which Virginia considers a driver intoxicated.

In exchange for his plea on Friday to the misdemeanor offense of driving while intoxicated, Crapo received the standard suspended sentence of 180 days in jail, said Randy Sengel, the commonwealth's attorney for the city of Alexandria, a Washington suburb.

The senator will not serve any time behind bars as long as he displays good behavior for the next 12 months, Sengel said.

Crapo must pay a $250 fine and complete an alcohol safety program. His driver's license will be suspended for 12 months, but he can apply for a restricted license that would allow him to drive to and from work during certain hours, Sengel said.

As part of the agreement, the charge against Crapo for running the red light was dropped.

A call for comment to Crapo's Senate office in Washington was not immediately returned. In a statement after his arrest, he said he was "deeply sorry" for the incident.

"I made a mistake for which I apologize to my family, my Idaho constituents and any others who have put their trust in me," he said.

(Reporting by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by M.D. Golan)