More than five months after the Maryland State Police arrested him on allegations of drunken driving, House Minority Leader Jason Buckel on Monday accepted responsibility in the case while maintaining his innocence.

Buckel, 53, a Republican who represents Allegany County, entered an Alford plea to one count of driving while impaired by alcohol.

District Judge Susan H. Hazlett later struck the guilty finding and offered Buckel probation before judgment. He will be on supervised probation for two years.

Buckel must undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation, complete any recommended treatment, and pay a $250 fine and court costs.

“While I maintain that I did not operate any vehicle unlawfully, and prosecutors who reviewed the original charges had already dismissed almost all of them including those that provided me a right to a trial by jury that I intended to elect, in the interests of resolving this unfortunate situation and in light of my lifetime of support for the men and women in law enforcement, I have accepted full responsibility for my actions and have learned a valuable lesson,” Buckel said in a statement.

“Maryland has very strict laws with respect to driving, many of which I have voted for, and having even one or two alcoholic drinks before operating a vehicle is a poor idea,” he added. “My judgement and my responsibilities to my family, my constituents and my community will reflect that reality going forward without question.”

Police stopped Buckel before 11:30 p.m. on June 13 on U.S. Route 40 near Campground Road in La Vale, less than two miles from his home.

Troopers were on patrol and noticed that his driver’s license was suspended, said Frederick County Assistant State’s Attorney Patrick Flynn, an appointed special prosecutor in the case.

Law enforcement, he said, confirmed that Buckel was the driver and registered owner of the vehicle. Troopers observed that his eyes were red and glassy, noticed that he smelled of alcohol and asked him to perform standard field sobriety tests, Flynn said.

During those tests, Buckel, he said, showed signs of impairment.

Buckel initially told police that he did not consume any alcohol. But Flynn said Buckel later acknowledged drinking before driving.

Though Buckel refused to submit to testing, a preliminary breath test found that his blood alcohol content was 0.10%, Flynn said.

In Maryland, people with a blood alcohol content of 0.07% are presumed to be impaired by alcohol. Meanwhile, those with a 0.08% or higher are assumed to be under the influence of alcohol.

During the hearing, Lee Beeman, Buckel’s attorney, advised him of his rights.

When Beeman asked Buckel if he was satisfied with his representation, he joked, “That’s a tough one, but I’ll say yes.”

Hazlett shot him a look.

“He’s a personal friend,” Buckel clarified.

They’re both attorneys in Cumberland at Buckel Levasseur Pillai & Beeman LLC.

Beeman told Hazlett that his client is a lifelong resident of Allegany County who’s been admitted to practice law since 1996. He volunteers with groups including Lions Clubs International and coaches youth baseball.

In 2014, Buckel was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates. He’s a member of the Ways and Means Committee, which hears legislation related to taxes, education, gambling and other topics.

“Mr. Buckel genuinely cares for this area, genuinely cares for the people here,” Beeman said.

Buckel said he accepted a 270-day driver’s license suspension instead of installing an ignition interlock device. He said he’s already scheduled an evaluation and told the judge: “I don’t consume alcohol on a very regular basis.”