TORONTO -- City Councillor Ana Bailao was busted for impaired driving Tuesday morning.
Toronto Police confirmed Bailao was arrested just after 1 a.m. near Bathurst St. and Harbord St.
Bailao, 36, is charged with impaired driving and having more than 80 mgs of alcohol in 100 ml of blood. She is due to appear in an Old City Hall courtroom on Dec. 3.
The councillor for Ward 18, Davenport issued a statement Tuesday afternoon.
“I can confirm that on October 16, I was charged with impaired driving,” the statement said. “This situation is regrettable. I have been advised by my legal counsel that because this matter is before the courts that I have no further comment.”
Bailao attended Mayor Rob Ford’s Mayor’s Ball for the Arts Monday night. Councillor Frances Nunziata sat at the same table as Bailao. Nunziata said they both left the ball separately shortly after Ford’s speech around 9:30 p.m.
“I’m surprised,” Nunziata said, reacting to news of the charges. “I don’t know what the circumstances were.”
Mayor Rob Ford -- who was busted for impaired driving in Florida in 1999 before he was elected -- called Bailao’s charges “unfortunate.”
“She’s innocent until proven guilty, that’s the most important thing here,” Ford said Tuesday. “We’ve all made mistakes. She’s a great councillor and I support her. It’s unfortunate but like I’ve said we’ve all made mistakes in life.”
