Missouri governor's son accused of driving while intoxicated

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Columbia police say the 24-year-old son of Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is accused of driving while intoxicated after being pulled over for running a red light.

According to police, Willson Nixon was stopped in Columbia on Thursday night. Police say officers smelled intoxicants and performed a field sobriety test before arresting Nixon shortly after midnight. He faces a municipal DWI charge.

Gov. Nixon issued a statement Saturday afternoon saying the matter will be addressed through the municipal legal process. He says the issue will be dealt with privately as a family.

Willson Nixon is the governor's youngest son. He was cited for possession of marijuana in September 2011 while he was a junior at the University of Missouri.

Those charges were later dropped because of a lack of evidence.