ELK RIVER — A freshman Minnesota lawmaker from Elk River apologized Thursday and said he made “an error in judgment” when he was arrested for DWI in August.

Republican state Rep. Nick Zerwas pleaded guilty on Aug. 21 to one count of fourth-degree DWI, the Star Tribune (http://strib.mn/1rXllFM) reported.

Zerwas was arrested driving 80 mph on Interstate 94 in Maple Grove on Aug. 2. He failed field sobriety tests, and a preliminary breath test registered a blood alcohol concentration of 0.12 percent, which is over the legal limit of 0.08 percent

Zerwas, 34, said he was driving home after visiting college friends in the Twin Cities and drinking with them at a private residence. After his arrest, he said, he was detained at the New Hope Police Department until a family member picked him up.

“I made an error in judgment,” Zerwas told the Star Tribune. “It was a huge mistake, and very embarrassing, and certainly not something I ever plan on doing again.” He apologized to his constituents in the newspaper interview.

A judge sentenced Zerwas to 30 days in the Hennepin County Workhouse, but stayed 28 of those days for two years provided Zerwas does not repeat his offense or commit other driving-related offenses. For the remaining two days he received a “sentence to service,” and performed 16 hours of community service, mostly mowing lawns on county-owned properties.

Zerwas, who was first elected to the Minnesota House in 2012, faces DFL candidate Brenden Ellingboe on Tuesday in his heavily Republican Sherburne County district.