Republican congressman Vito J. Fossella was arrested for driving while intoxicated. He was at the wheel with a blood-alcohol level more than twice the legal limit, authorities said.

Fossella was pulled over in Alexandria, Va., a suburb of Washington. A police officer pulled him over on Thursday after the congressman ran a red light. When inspecting the driver, the officer sensed a “strong smell of alcoholic beverage” in the vehicle.

Fossella told the police officer that he was on his way to pick up his daughter who needed to go the hospital, although on Friday he had a different version. Then he said he had been on his way to visit some friends.

The congressman failed several sobriety tests. According to the police report, Mr Fossella registered a blood alcohol level of 0.133 percent at the preliminary breath test carried out on the street. At the second test he registered 0.17 percent, more than twice than the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

The congressman from New York City, who represents Staten Island and part of Brooklyn, apologized to his family and constituents for the incident Fossella described as "a mistake I will never make again."

“I made a mistake. I recognize it as a mistake and take full responsibility for my actions,” Fossella added at a news conference at a Hilton hotel on Staten Island.

If convicted, the 43-year-old congressman would serve a mandatory five days in jail.

Mr. Fossella said he didn’t take thought about resigning over the DWI incident. His spokesman, Craig Donner, said that the congressman did not have a drinking problem in the past so he doesn’t plan to enter a rehabilitation program.