West Richland councilwoman allegedly nearly 3 times legal limit when arrested
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- West Richland councilwoman Hays arrested Aug. 22 on suspicion of DUI.
- Breath tests showed blood-alcohol levels well over legal limit, police say.
- Hays acknowledged arrest, pledged transparency while campaigning for mayor.
A West Richland city council member was allegedly too drunk to stand safely when she talked with a Washington State Patrol trooper, police say.
A recently released citation provides more details about May E. Hays’ arrest on suspicion of DUI on Aug. 22. A preliminary breath test allegedly found that her blood-alcohol level was 0.22%, nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08%.
Hays, 66, is charged with misdemeanor DUI in Benton County District Court. She is currently running to replace outgoing Mayor Brent Gerry.
Hays said she is committed to handling the issue with transparency, and takes “full responsibility” for her actions.
She said she was driving home after visiting a friend when she was stopped, according to her Facebook post about the arrest.
About 5:30 p.m. on Highway 240, a tire on Hays’ 2014 Chevy Impala exploded, Trooper Cameron Osmer wrote in the report. Another driver spotted the car driving on the rim and waved to her to pull over. They stopped near Van Giesen Street.
Both drivers pulled to the side of the road. Once Hays got out of her car, she allegedly fell. The other driver believed Hays was drunk and waited until police got to the scene.
When Osmer arrived, he noticed that Hays fumbled with her wallet, looking for her driver’s license. Her eyes were watery, and there was a “strong and obvious odor of intoxicants,” the citation says.
Also, the right front rim had been noticeably worn and the tire was nearly completely missing, the citation said.
“While standing in front of the vehicle, on the level ground, I observed Hays was swaying and could not keep her balance,” Osmer wrote. “For Hays’ safety, I moved Hays to the front of her vehicle and had her sit on her hood.”
After taking the first breath test, which showed 0.22%, she was brought to the Benton County jail for a breathalyzer test. These showed her blood-alcohol level was between 0.19% and 0.20%.
Hays is a native Tri-Citian, who went to school in Pasco before moving to West Richland in 1997.
She worked for 25 years as a community relations operations specialist for Benton REA utility, served as the West Richland Chamber of Commerce executive director and owned two local business.
She joined the city council after winning a 2021 election.
This story was originally published September 4, 2025 at 12:34 PM.