A Prince George's County police officer is facing multiple charges, including driving under the influence, after a crash this month in which he was driving a patrol car. He has also been suspended from his job.
According to law enforcement, the off-duty officer was speeding near Pennsylvania Avenue and Capital Beltway in the early morning hours of March 23 when he clipped a tractor-trailer. He lost control of his vehicle, hitting a guardrail.
The driver of the tractor-trailer wasn't injured, but when District Heights police arrived, the officer had reportedly left the patrol car at the scene and couldn't be found. Sources say that someone picked him up and that he returned to the location of the crash a little more than half an hour later. Officers arrested him when they suspected that he was intoxicated.
This wasn't the first time that this officer, who has been on the force since 2009, has found himself in these circumstances. In 2012, he pleaded guilty to DUI in another crash involving a police cruiser. He was allowed to remain on the job because he was charged with a misdemeanor as opposed to a felony.
The Prince George's County police chief called the incident "gravely troubling." He promised that he would make the public aware of all of the facts of the case as soon as he knows them and "will take appropriate action to remedy this."
Multiple DUIs can come with serious criminal consequences. They can also harm, if not destroy, a career. That's why it's essential to have experienced legal guidance to help mitigate the impact. This may involve seeking alcoholism or addiction treatment that could help prevent further and potentially worse incidents in the future.
Source: NBC 4 Washington, "Police: Prince George's Officer Drove Drunk, Crashed Patrol Car," Tracee Wilkins, March 23, 2017