Editor’s note: This story was updated on May 10 with Zachary Ackerman’s booking photo after MLive received it through the Freedom of Information Act. Due to system issues, police were initially unable to provide the photo when the story was first published.

ANN ARBOR, MI - An Ann Arbor city councilman is serving a year of probation for drunken driving.

Zachary Ackerman, D-3rd Ward, was sentenced in February for driving under the influence in Novi, northeast of Ann Arbor, court records show.

Now, he’s apologizing for the incident, calling it the wake-up he needed to be diagnosed with severe alcohol dependency and seek treatment.

"I'm sorry that this happened," he said when reached by The Ann Arbor News on Wednesday. "You hope to live your life as a model of how it should be lived, but life is real."

“And so, I just want to be clear that I never intended to hide this story for malicious reasons. I simply hoped that I could live my private life privately, but I do have to own what happened on the night of Jan. 2.”

Ackerman, 25, of Ann Arbor, was arrested about 5:35 p.m. Jan. 2, after police responded to a report of a two-vehicle crash, said Novi police Detective Sgt. Kevin Gilmore.

The councilman was driving south on Beck Road, north of 10 Mile Road when he rear-ended another vehicle, Gilmore said. No one was injured, but Ackerman appeared under the influence, Gilmore said.

"Eyes were bloodshot - glossy," Gilmore said. " (He had) slurred speech, smell - odor of intoxicants coming from the vehicle and then his person."

Ackerman submitted to field sobriety tests but refused a breathalyzer at the scene, Gilmore said.

At the jail, testing showed Ackerman had a blood-alcohol level of 0.2 percent - more than twice the legal limit for driving in Michigan - Gilmore said.

He was held until about 5 a.m. the next day, Gilmore said.

Ackerman was originally charged under the state’s so-called “super drunk” law, court records show. The law allows for heftier penalties for those who test at 0.17 or above.

However, Ackerman pleaded no contest before the end of January to a misdemeanor charge of operating while ability impaired, court records show.

He was sentenced on Feb. 20 to a year of probation and five days of community service, court records show.

Ackerman began drinking in college, where he said there was a cultural emphasis on binge drinking, he said, and that carried over into his professional life after graduation.

He declined to comment on why the charge was reduced or where he was coming from at the time of the crash, but said he began researching treatment the next day,

The arrest was, in fact, a blessing, he said, noting the last three months have been the happiest and healthiest of his life.

“I am today in recovery,” he said. “I have not had a drink since that night and I’m committed to being able to still say that on my deathbed decades from now.”

Ackerman said he doesn’t plan to resign and doesn’t believe that the outcome of an addiction should lead to being removed from council. He remains excited to do important work in the community, he said.

As to not alerting his constituents or fellow council members sooner, he believed the incident should be dealt with as a health issue, not a moral issue, he said.

“I also understand there was a public safety element because of the fact that I got behind the wheel and for that I am sorry, but, again, I’m trying to focus on what good can come of that night and not the night itself,” Ackerman said.

He said he hopes those with concerns about possible substance use disorder can feel comfortable coming to him to talk, and pointed to recovery options at Michigan Medicine, St. Joseph Mercy Health System and Dawn Farm.

Ann Arbor Mayor Christopher Taylor expressed support for Ackerman on Wednesday, saying that though he just learned of the matter, he believed it to be a private concern and not grounds for removal from council.

“Council Member Ackerman’s work for Ann Arbor on council and elsewhere has been exemplary, careful and thoughtful,” he said. “… Ackerman has a medical problem for which he has sought and received medical treatment. I support and stand by him.”

He later added that he supports all members of Ann Arbor's recovery community.

Jack Eaton, D-4th Ward, too, offered support to Ackerman, also calling the incident a private matter.

Though he said he didn't know details of the arrest or Ackerman's health condition, Ackerman had told council members he was going to outpatient rehabilitation as a reason for missing some city meetings.

Ackerman confirmed missing meetings, noting he needed to be healthy to better serve residents.

"I'm back to full time," he said.

The temporary absence from meetings seemed to be the only possible impact on Ackerman’s role on council, Eaton said. Ackerman has, indeed, been attending more meetings recently.

“It’s unfortunate,” Eaton said. “Drinking and driving is a huge social problem and I’m sorry that he drank and drove … I hope that he gets the help that he needs and I look forward to serving with him.”

Ackerman was first elected to council in 2015, when he became the first University of Michigan student to win an Ann Arbor council race in 23 years. He was re-elected in 2017 to a term until 2020 and now works for Denison Consulting downtown.