FARMINGTON, N.M.
State police arrested an off-duty Farmington police officer on charges of driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol in the Farmington Police Department parking lot, state police officials said.
At about 8 a.m. Wednesday Officer Glen Mearls, who was off duty, pulled into the Farmington Police Department parking lot in his privately owned vehicle and struck a parked vehicle.
Supervisors with the Farmington Police Department were notified and came to the scene to investigate. Upon learning that Mearls had possibly been driving under the influence of liquor or drugs and to avoid a conflict of interest, they contacted the State Police to conduct an investigation.
New Mexico State Police officers were called at about 8:30 a.m. by the Farmington Police Department and began a DWI investigation. After administering field sobriety tests, state police officers concluded that Mearls was impaired, possibly under the influence of prescription drugs.
He was placed under arrest on charges of DWI.
Mearls, a 14-year veteran of the Farmington Police Department, was booked into the San Juan County Detention Center.
The Farmington Police Department is conducting a separate internal investigation on the matter and has placed Mearls on paid administrative leave.
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