Carl O. Snowden, an assistant to the Anne Arundel County executive and a former Annapolis alderman, was arrested early Wednesday on suspicion of drunken driving and detained in a holding cell for several hours that morning, according to Anne Arundel County police.

An officer on routine patrol noticed Snowden's 1994 Infiniti weaving about 2 a.m. Wednesday and pulled him over on Route 2 at the South River Bridge, near Annapolis, said Officer Michael Krok, a spokesman for the county police.

Snowden, 49, failed a field sobriety test and was taken to the Southern District station in Edgewater, where he refused to take a Breathalyzer test, Krok said.

A refusal can be used as evidence in court, according to Maryland law.

At about 6 a.m., Snowden was released to a friend, Krok said.

Snowden has been charged with driving while under the influence, driving while impaired, negligent driving and failure to obey a traffic control device, Krok said.

Reached at his office yesterday, Snowden said he had no comment.

Snowden, who served for years as a city alderman and ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 1997, serves as a special assistant for government relations to County Executive Janet S. Owens.

A spokeswoman for the county said Snowden has not been placed on leave because of the arrest.

Court records show Snowden is scheduled to appear in court in January for traffic citations issued last month. On Oct. 9, he was charged with failure to drive right of center and failure to display registration, violations that carry a potential $100 fine.