Georgia Democrat running for Congress is convicted of DUI, awaits sentencing

Foster is scheduled to return to court Tuesday. He's asking to be freed on bond while he appeals his conviction. (Foster for Congress)

A Georgia Democrat running for Congress was arrested this week and now awaits sentencing after a jury convicted him over a drunken-driving incident from last year.

Steven Lamar Foster, 61, was convicted by a Dalton jury Monday for driving under the influence on the evening of Sept. 23, 2017, according to Whitfield County Superior Court documents.

The former physician, a Democratic congressional candidate in Georgia’s 14th District, was ordered to jail without bond until his sentencing on Monday.

According to police, Foster was pulled over for driving with his headlights off after dark. Foster reportedly told the officer he  “had not been drunk since 1981” and would “give him a breath test if he wanted to.” The officer reportedly then asked why Foster might need to take a breath test.

A photo from the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office shows Steven Lamar Foster, Democratic candidate for Congress in Georgia's 14th District. (Whitfield County Sheriff's Office)

Foster later admitted to the officer that he'd consumed two or three beers about three hours earlier; the police report said he swayed and stumbled during a field sobriety test. A Breathalyzer test also showed his blood alcohol content was 0.103.

Foster’s campaign office did not immediately return Fox News’ request for comment.

GREEN PARTY SPOILER CANDIDATE IN OHIO SPECIAL ELECTIONS CLAIMS TO BE DESCENDED FROM ALIENS

Foster started his campaign in March, six months after his DUI arrest. He described himself as a "physician entrepreneur" on his qualifying paperwork for the congressional race, despite state records showing Foster's medical license had expired at the end of 2003.

Further, the Composite State Board of Medical Examiners suspended Foster's medical license indefinitely in October 2002, citing concerns that he was "unable to practice medicine with reasonable skill and safety to patients due to a psychiatric disorder."

Foster has been running for a seat held by Rep. Tom Graves since 2010.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.