Oregon state Rep. Paul Evans was arrested early Oct. 4 after police investigated a reported hit-and-run that damaged a stop sign in Independence, according to court records and a police statement. He faces misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence of intoxicants, reckless driving and failing to stop after causing property damage. Evans, 56, was released Monday and initially pleaded not guilty, court records show. He is scheduled to appear in Polk County Circuit Court on Oct. 28. Police said the incident was reported around 1:45 a.m. at Main and B streets. A witness reported hearing a crash and seeing a Jeep leave the scene, Officer Reed Chorbajian wrote. Another officer spoke with the witness while Chorbajian found Evans and the Jeep in a nearby parking lot. The Jeep’s front bumper had a mark at about the same height as a mark on the stop sign, which police said was significantly bent. Chorbajian wrote that Evans said he had consumed three drinks over eight hours at the Independence Elks Lodge, two alcoholic and one nonalcoholic. The officer reported smelling alcohol and noticing that Evans occasionally slurred his words and spoke slowly. A breath test registered 0.16%, twice Oregon’s legal driving limit, according to the police statement. Evans was arrested around 2:45 a.m., records show. In a statement provided through the House Democrats’ chief of staff, Evans said he took responsibility and regretted letting down his community. He said he has struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and used alcohol to cope, and that he was seeking inpatient treatment. Evans, a Democrat from Monmouth, was first elected to the Oregon House in 2014 and represents a district that includes Monmouth, Independence, southwest Salem and West Salem. He is seeking a seventh consecutive term in the November 2026 election. As a condition of release, Evans is prohibited from consuming substances, including alcohol, and from going to bars or liquor stores. He served in the U.S. Air Force and Oregon Air National Guard, including tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to his legislative biography.