DaytonDailyNews.com

Handcuffed and seated in the back of an Ohio Highway Patrol cruiser after wobbling through a field sobriety test she failed early Jan. 19, Montgomery County Commissioner Debbie Lieberman tried to convince the trooper that she was not drunk.

"I don't drive drunk," said Lieberman, who had been pulled over in her private car at 3:04 a.m. after the trooper observed her swerving at the Hoke Road exit on Interstate 70 near Englewood.

"I had two glasses of wine," said Lieberman, in a conversation recorded on videotape during the traffic stop by Trooper T.C. Johnson.

Once she was inside the cruiser, handcuffed, Johnson says he thinks Lieberman turned off the camera, which she denies.

"I've been with a friend at Kettering Hospital who tried to commit suicide tonight," Lieberman said. "And yeah, did I stop and have a drink? Yes I did. One drink."

Lieberman tells him she is scared, and twice tells Johnson she's a county commissioner, to which he replies, "Well, I appreciate your service."

She also says she spent the afternoon with "the governor."

In reality, Lieberman had been out drinking with friends at a restaurant and two bars, following a Dayton Development Coalition business meeting and reception, which included an appearance by Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, but not the governor.

She'd drove about 25 minutes before being stopped by the trooper, who followed her as she took the Hoke Road exit and continually weaved back and forth.

He reported Lieberman had glassy eyes and smelled strongly of alcohol. An alcohol breath test registered .131, more than one and a half times the legal limit of .08.

Her husband and attorney, Dennis Lieberman, on Friday said the tape was "not very pretty." She'd been on the cell phone with him when she was pulled over and he heard her conversation with the trooper.

"Did she say she had two glasses? Yes. Did she have more than that? Obviously," Mr. Lieberman said. "But she was under an impaired judgment."

Mrs. Lieberman had no comment Friday but on Thursday said she regretted her lapse in judgment.

"I've taken full responsibility for my actions and it will never happen again," said Lieberman, a one-term commissioner facing Mark Anthony Newberry in the March 4 Democratic primary. There is no Republican opposition.

Newberry could not be reached for comment.

Commissioners Judy Dodge and Dan Foley expressed strong support for Lieberman.

"She has my full confidence and she has the full confidence of many, many people because she's a great person," Foley said.

Mrs. Lieberman on Tuesday entered a conditional guilty plea to a first degree misdemeanor count of operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Vandalia Municipal Judge Cynthia Heck placed her in a unique diversion program for first offenders that spares her jail time and license suspension. No other area courts and few, if any, statewide offer the program, which dates to 1984.

About 350-400 people annually are assigned to diversion, said Leonard Oram, director of probation and diversion.

He recommended Lieberman for diversion because she met the eligibility criteria, admitted wrongdoing and was remorseful.

"We are looking for that person who can learn from their mistakes so they don't repeat them," said Oram.

Kelli Wynn, Ben McLaughlin and William Hershey contributed to this story.