More details emerge from Vito Fossella's arrest

Fossella was pulled over for running a red light;

A Breathalyzer test showed Fossella had a blood-alcohol level of .17 when he was nabbed for running a red light in Alexandria, Va., early Thursday morning, police said.

Fossella failed numerous sobriety tests;

The report said Mr. Fossella failed several sobriety tests on the street, including a preliminary breath test on which he registered a blood alcohol level of 0.133 percent. After he was arrested, he recorded a level of 0.17 percent on another machine. The legal limit in Virginia, as in most states, is 0.08 percent.

and this;

Mr. Fossella was asked to recite the alphabet between the letters D and T. “The subject immediately started and said ‘A, B,’ ” the officer wrote in his report.

After the officer explained the test again, Mr. Fossella started: “D, E, F, H, G, H, I, J, L,” and then was able to finish.

Mr. Fossella swayed when he stood on one leg and stumbled when asked to walk nine steps heel to toe and turn, the report said.

Fossella lied to the police about his driving, shamefully using his daughter as an excuse;

He also reportedly lied to the arresting officer, saying he was heading to pick up his daughter, 4-year-old Rowan, claiming she was sick and needed hospitalization.

Fossella may now face a Congressional Ethics investigation;

Under a rule passed by the House last year, Mr. Fossella could also face an ethics investigation. The rule says that an arrest or indictment on criminal charges triggers the start of an inquiry within 30 days.

update: Fossella was arrested while driving drunk in front of Francis C. Hammond Middle School [Google Maps];

Alexandria Police Officer Jamie Gernatt saw him run a red light at the corner of Seminary Road and Library Lane, in front of a school, court papers say.