Ex-Miss Washington USA Stormy Keffeler Speaks Out After Resigning Crown Amid Scandal

— -- The Washington state beauty queen who resigned her crown Thursday says she acted on the advice of her lawyer when it came to not disclosing a drunken-driving conviction to pageant officials.

“The paperwork says, ‘Have you been convicted of a felony?’ and when I contacted my lawyer, he told me that it was a misdemeanor,” Stormy Keffeler told ABC News.

Keffeler, 23, pleaded guilty in September of driving in Seattle with a blood alcohol level that was nearly three times the legal limit. One month later, in October, Keffeler was crowned Miss Washington USA.

Keffeler’s blood alcohol concentration at the time of her April 2015 arrest was 0.22, according to court papers. A person may be guilty of DUI with an alcohol concentration of 0.08, as measured by breath or blood, according to Washington state law.

The rules of the Miss Washington USA pageant state that entrants must not engage in “any type of” illegal behavior or activity.

A pageant official told ABC Seattle affiliate KOMO-TV in an interview that aired Wednesday that they were not made aware of Keffeler’s conviction until last Friday.

The same official, Maureen Francisco, co-executive producer of Miss Washington USA, wrote in a Facebook post Thursday night that Keffeler would be resigning and the pageant’s first runner-up would assume the title of Miss Washington USA.

Keffeler, a former pro player with the Legends Football League, was ordered to serve two days in jail and 24 months' probation, plus pay $1,196 in fines and fees. According to KOMO, she was sentenced five days after the pageant.

Keffeler told ABC News she is now a “changed person.”

“I am a changed person and I’m willing to go out and prove it,” she said.

The former beauty queen is also embroiled in questions surrounding the stabbing last month of former Seattle Sounders FC star Marco Pappa.

Keffeler was allegedly with the 28-year-old professional soccer player when he was mysteriously stabbed in the stomach. Police are investigating the incident but no charges have been filed.

Keffeler declined to comment on the stabbing to ABC News.

Pappa's current team, the Colorado Rapids, issued the following statement to ABC News.

"We are aware of the situation and have notified Major League Soccer. We have spoken with the player and will cooperate with the League on their evaluation of this matter. At this time we will have no further comment."

“It’s hard when a dream that you’ve had comes crashing down,” Keffeler said of resigning her pageant title. “I’m still hopeful that I still have the opportunity to change the world.”