A Republican state senator from Texas spent the night in jail after allegedly being caught driving under the influence of alcohol.

Charles Schwertner, 52, was arrested by Austin police in Austin’s Hyde Park neighbourhood around 12:46 a.m. on Tuesday, 7th February.

An Austin police officer observed a black Cadillac automobile swerving on 45th Street and pursued it for a few blocks, according to the police. The officer said that the vehicle failed to stay in one lane, with the police then conducting a traffic stop.

The report states that Schwertner had “bloodshot, glassy, watery eyes, was disoriented, and had slurred speech pattern, as well as a strong odour of alcoholic beverage on his breath.”

The senator cooperated with authorities, but a field sobriety test revealed evidence of drunkenness, according to the police. He declined to undergo a breathaliser and there was no blood alcohol content test when he was in jail.

Schwertner apologised after spending the night in Travis County jail. He said: “I apologise to my countrymen and my family. I made a mistake.”

Schwertner made headlines in 2018 after he was accused of sending a University of Texas graduate student sexually explicit texts and photographs of his genitals.

Schwertner allegedly texted the student: “I just really want to f*** you.”

This was allegedly followed by a photo of his genitals in the shower. His face is not visible in the photograph.

An assessment by the school decided that, while Schwertner did not completely comply with authorities, it was “plausible” that a third party texted the messages using an application that both it and the senator had access to.

Schwertner is a practising orthopaedic physician and a lifetime Republican who represents the 5th District, which includes counties in central and eastern Texas, according to his bio on the state senate website.