A Maryland police officer charged with public intoxication at a Jimmy Buffett concert this summer paid a $92 fine and was returned to duty.
Cpl. Michael E. Pue, who works for the force in Frederick, Md., was off duty at the Nissan Pavilion concert with some friends when he was arrested on Aug. 31.
After the show, Pue returned to the parking lot to find the windows on his truck had been smashed and wires ripped from the dashboard, Frederick police Lt. Clark Pennington said.
Pue went to report the vandalism to a Prince William police officer and was then charged with public intoxication.
The charge is a class four misdemeanor punishable by a maximum fine of $450. It is the lowest misdemeanor charge in the commonwealth.
Pennington said the vandals did about $5,000 worth of damage to the corporal’s truck.
After he was arrested, Prince William police asked Frederick police to come and pick up Pue. He was released that night on his own recognizance.
During an investigation by the Frederick department, the corporal was put on administrative leave for about two weeks.
Pennington said Prince William authorities did the right thing in arresting the off-duty officer and added his case was handled fairly.
“Corporal Pue did not get any less of a charge as anybody else, and his case was handled the same as any IT professional or fast food workers would be,” Pennington said.
Pue paid his $25 fine and $72 court cost on Friday.
He has been a member of the Frederick police department for more than 15 years.
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