A state legislator from Scarborough pleaded guilty to a charge of drunken driving Friday.

Democratic Rep. Sean Flaherty was arrested Aug. 8 after crashing his car on Interstate 295 southbound in Freeport. He was charged with operating under the influence.

Flaherty issued a statement Friday night saying he had entered a guilty plea.

“After today, I am working to put the accident behind me, use it as a humbling and important lesson, and move forward to try to bring something positive out of the situation,” Flaherty said. “I am so thankful, that my bad decision didn’t hurt anyone else.”

“As I have stated previously, I made a mistake — a stupid mistake,” he wrote. “I also must apologize to my constituents in Scarborough I am working hard to earn a second chance. I hope to show folks in Scarborough, as I did during the 2008 election and previously through my involvement in the community, that I am still worthy of their trust.”

Flaherty, 25, is running for election for a second term. His opponent in November’s election is Republican Amy Volk.

Flaherty’s attorney, Daniel Warren, had submitted a letter to the court Aug. 20 asking that a plea of not guilty be entered on his behalf when the case comes up Oct. 27.

According to the state police accident report, Flaherty’s crash was reported at 1:52 a.m. and Trooper Doug Cropper arrived 14 minutes later.

Flaherty told Cropper that an animal had jumped out in front of him and he had overcorrected. The car swerved across the road, then went down an embankment and rolled over, the report said.

Flaherty told the trooper that he was coming from a wedding in Sebago and he had been drinking.

Staff Writer David Hench can be contacted at 791-6327 or at:

dhench@pressherald.com