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Former Iowa first lady pleads guilty to public intoxication

News

September 1st, 2017 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Former Iowa first lady Mari Culver has pleaded guilty to public intoxication after troopers saw her stumbling at the Iowa State Fair last month. In a statement Friday, Culver says she’s “very disappointed” in herself and it won’t happen again.

A complaint says an Iowa State Patrol officer observed Culver “stumble into three people” Aug. 19 before contacting her on the Midway. The trooper says Culver’s speech was slurred and she was having trouble standing.

The report says the trooper contacted a transport vehicle to move her to the patrol’s compound to face processing for public intoxication. The report says a preliminary breath test found a blood alcohol content of .189.

Culver is an attorney and wife of former Democratic Gov. Chet Culver, who served from 2007 to 2011. She pleaded guilty and was fined this week.