IMPD Officer Ed Zehner was arrested for operating while
intoxicated Sunday evening at 11:30, New Palestine’s chief of police
confirmed.
He was arrested by a New Palestine officer when the officer spotted him swerving on rural Hancock County roads.
The police chief said Zehner had a BAC of .16, which is twice the legal limit.
He was taken to Hancock County Jail.
Showing posts with label drunk driving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label drunk driving. Show all posts
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Officer Michelle Coffey Arrested for Drunk Driving
A Coon Rapids police officer is scheduled to appear in court next month on suspicion of driving drunk while off duty two weeks ago.
Michelle Coffey, 43, was arrested April 10 after the vehicle she was driving was involved in a property damage accident in Ramsey and the responding officer detected a strong smell of alcohol on Coffey's breath, according to an incident report provided Tuesday by Ramsey police.
Coffey, a patrol officer, has been employed with the Coon Rapids Police Department for at least 15 years, according to Police Chief Brad Wise.
"She is taking this very seriously and will be taking proactive steps to address it," said Mike Brandt, Coffey's attorney.
The incident took place at 4:42 a.m. at the intersection of Sunfish Lake Boulevard and Nowthen Boulevard.
Coffey was reportedly traveling on Sunfish Lake Boulevard with a male passenger when she went to turn onto Nowthen Boulevard and pulled out in front of another car, the incident report said.
The other vehicle ended up hitting Coffey on the driver's side, causing heavy damage to both vehicles. Nobody was hurt.
Coffey, who initially told the investigating officer that she had not been driving, failed sobriety tests at the scene.
She recorded a 0.19 blood-alcohol concentration at the Ramsey police station.
She faces two misdemeanor charges of driving while intoxicated and is scheduled to be arraigned May 9 in Anoka County District Court.
Wise described Coffey as a "good person and a great cop" who has no sustained complaints in her personnel file.
She will remain on active duty as her case makes its way through the court system.
"She will respond to the citation and the courts will deal with it and, once that happens, obviously as an employer we will deal with it, also," Wise said. "She made a mistake and she needs to answer for that, but I hope she gets treated just like everybody else."
Michelle Coffey, 43, was arrested April 10 after the vehicle she was driving was involved in a property damage accident in Ramsey and the responding officer detected a strong smell of alcohol on Coffey's breath, according to an incident report provided Tuesday by Ramsey police.
Coffey, a patrol officer, has been employed with the Coon Rapids Police Department for at least 15 years, according to Police Chief Brad Wise.
"She is taking this very seriously and will be taking proactive steps to address it," said Mike Brandt, Coffey's attorney.
The incident took place at 4:42 a.m. at the intersection of Sunfish Lake Boulevard and Nowthen Boulevard.
Coffey was reportedly traveling on Sunfish Lake Boulevard with a male passenger when she went to turn onto Nowthen Boulevard and pulled out in front of another car, the incident report said.
The other vehicle ended up hitting Coffey on the driver's side, causing heavy damage to both vehicles. Nobody was hurt.
Coffey, who initially told the investigating officer that she had not been driving, failed sobriety tests at the scene.
She recorded a 0.19 blood-alcohol concentration at the Ramsey police station.
She faces two misdemeanor charges of driving while intoxicated and is scheduled to be arraigned May 9 in Anoka County District Court.
Wise described Coffey as a "good person and a great cop" who has no sustained complaints in her personnel file.
She will remain on active duty as her case makes its way through the court system.
"She will respond to the citation and the courts will deal with it and, once that happens, obviously as an employer we will deal with it, also," Wise said. "She made a mistake and she needs to answer for that, but I hope she gets treated just like everybody else."
Wednesday, April 09, 2014
Officer Ryan Robinson Arrested for Drunk Driving
A Miami-Dade Police officer has been arrested after allegedly driving drunk and crashing into a parked car, striking a shopping cart with two children inside and attempting to flee.
According to Miami-Dade Police, last Saturday, at around 8:22 p.m., 41-year-old Miami-Dade Police officer Ryan Robinson was off-duty when he was driving his 1997 GMC truck inside a shopping plaza in Cutler Bay. He struck the grocery store shopping cart with two children sitting inside after he had hit a parked car. "He hit the cart, and he still kept going," said the father of the children, Manny Garcia. "He was trying to get away from the accident."
Robinson hit the shopping cart the father was pushing with his two small girls, ages 3 and 6, inside of it. The father said the shopping cart fell to its side and the two small girls fell out and suffered minor injuries. "My whole world stopped right there," said Garcia. "I see my two kids on the floor."
Patricia Menzies prevented the officer from leaving scene. "I saw the girls on the floor, and I heard the screaming," she said.
She said she was determined to not let him leave the parking lot and blocked his car in, just as he tried to accelerate from the scene.
The mother of the two girls said the whole ordeal was very frightening. "It was her leg, and my other daughter who is in school right now, it was her head and on her cheek and nose, but they are both fine."
Garcia said he could smell a strong odor of alcohol coming from Robinson. He could also see his red, bloodshot, watery eyes. "He was so drunk that he just fell on the floor, so I was like, yo, sit down. He was like, 'Oh, I'm sorry.' I just told him, yo, sit down."
When police arrived on the scene they arrested Robinson for driving under the influence. In the arrest affidavit, police wrote they noticed an "odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his breath and bloodshot watery eyes."
Garcia recorded cell phone video of the driver, as he took a sobriety test. "Look, he can't even lift his leg," a voice could be heard saying on the video.
Garcia said his daughters now have a fear of police. "I couldn't believe it, the people that are supposed to protect us are the ones that are hurting us."
In 2007, Robinson was part of a police-involved shooting where two unarmed men were killed in Miami after they were pulled over for speeding. He was exonerated by the Miami-Dade State Attorney's office in that case.
In 2013, he was temporarily relieved of duty after a bottle of vodka was found in his patrol car. In this case, he has been relieved of duty with pay and faces DUI charges.
According to Miami-Dade Police, last Saturday, at around 8:22 p.m., 41-year-old Miami-Dade Police officer Ryan Robinson was off-duty when he was driving his 1997 GMC truck inside a shopping plaza in Cutler Bay. He struck the grocery store shopping cart with two children sitting inside after he had hit a parked car. "He hit the cart, and he still kept going," said the father of the children, Manny Garcia. "He was trying to get away from the accident."
Robinson hit the shopping cart the father was pushing with his two small girls, ages 3 and 6, inside of it. The father said the shopping cart fell to its side and the two small girls fell out and suffered minor injuries. "My whole world stopped right there," said Garcia. "I see my two kids on the floor."
Patricia Menzies prevented the officer from leaving scene. "I saw the girls on the floor, and I heard the screaming," she said.
She said she was determined to not let him leave the parking lot and blocked his car in, just as he tried to accelerate from the scene.
The mother of the two girls said the whole ordeal was very frightening. "It was her leg, and my other daughter who is in school right now, it was her head and on her cheek and nose, but they are both fine."
Garcia said he could smell a strong odor of alcohol coming from Robinson. He could also see his red, bloodshot, watery eyes. "He was so drunk that he just fell on the floor, so I was like, yo, sit down. He was like, 'Oh, I'm sorry.' I just told him, yo, sit down."
When police arrived on the scene they arrested Robinson for driving under the influence. In the arrest affidavit, police wrote they noticed an "odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his breath and bloodshot watery eyes."
Garcia recorded cell phone video of the driver, as he took a sobriety test. "Look, he can't even lift his leg," a voice could be heard saying on the video.
Garcia said his daughters now have a fear of police. "I couldn't believe it, the people that are supposed to protect us are the ones that are hurting us."
In 2007, Robinson was part of a police-involved shooting where two unarmed men were killed in Miami after they were pulled over for speeding. He was exonerated by the Miami-Dade State Attorney's office in that case.
In 2013, he was temporarily relieved of duty after a bottle of vodka was found in his patrol car. In this case, he has been relieved of duty with pay and faces DUI charges.
Tuesday, April 08, 2014
Officer Shieed Haniff Arrested for DWI
A city cop was arrested for driving drunk, smashing into cars and speeding through a police stop as fellow officers gave chase, authorities said Monday.
The alleged intoxicated ride by Shieed Haniff, 30, ended Sunday minutes before midnight when he was stopped in East New York, Brooklyn.
Police saw Haniff drive erratically and hit a car, before making a u-turn and crashing into another car, causing injuries for occupants in both vehicles, court papers alleged.
The seven-year NYPD veteran then drove off and plowed through a traffic stop with “police jumping out of the way,” the document said.
Cops charged Haniff with leaving the scene of an accident, DWI, reckless driving and refusing to take a breath test. He was released without bail, but his license was revoked.
The alleged intoxicated ride by Shieed Haniff, 30, ended Sunday minutes before midnight when he was stopped in East New York, Brooklyn.
Police saw Haniff drive erratically and hit a car, before making a u-turn and crashing into another car, causing injuries for occupants in both vehicles, court papers alleged.
The seven-year NYPD veteran then drove off and plowed through a traffic stop with “police jumping out of the way,” the document said.
Cops charged Haniff with leaving the scene of an accident, DWI, reckless driving and refusing to take a breath test. He was released without bail, but his license was revoked.
Thursday, April 03, 2014
Retired Officer Joseph Ferrante Out on Bail for Child Porn Found Drunk Outside Liquor Store
A retired Peabody cop, out on bail in a child pornography case, was found parked outside a liquor store swigging from separate bottles of vodka and cranberry juice Tuesday morning, police said.
As a result, Joseph Ferrante, 60, of 30 Bresnahan St., Peabody, is being held in custody without bail after a Peabody District Court judge revoked his bail in the child porn case.
According to a police report, Ferrante begged Patrolman Patrick Berardino not to arrest him after Berardino spotted him in a rented Hyundai idling outside of A&L Liquors on Foster Street at 10:25 a.m.
“Pat, please don’t arrest me,” Ferrante allegedly asked the officer. “They will revoke my bail, and I will go to jail.”
Before he approached Ferrante, Berardino watched him drink from the two bottles, one a 200-milliliter (6.8 ounces) bottle of vodka and the other a 16-ounce bottle of cranberry juice. Ferrante then got out of his car holding the two nearly empty bottles and stumbled toward a Dumpster, police said.
Police said Ferrante nearly fell while doing field sobriety tests. There is no indication in court papers that he took a Breathalyzer test.
Ferrante was arrested at the scene and arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Peabody District Court, where Judge Richard Mori not only revoked his $5,000 bail in the child porn case but set additional bail of $500 in the drunken-driving case.
Ferrante is also charged with violating the city’s open container ordinance. He pleaded not guilty to both charges.
In November, he also pleaded not guilty to charges that he stored and shared child pornography on his home computer, which was connected to an online file-sharing service frequently used by pedophiles. Those charges came after an investigator from the Internet Crimes Against Children unit of the state police linked his IP address to one that was offering explicit images of boys.
He is due back in court on April 16 for a probable cause hearing in the child pornography case and a pretrial hearing in the drunken-driving case.
As a result, Joseph Ferrante, 60, of 30 Bresnahan St., Peabody, is being held in custody without bail after a Peabody District Court judge revoked his bail in the child porn case.
According to a police report, Ferrante begged Patrolman Patrick Berardino not to arrest him after Berardino spotted him in a rented Hyundai idling outside of A&L Liquors on Foster Street at 10:25 a.m.
“Pat, please don’t arrest me,” Ferrante allegedly asked the officer. “They will revoke my bail, and I will go to jail.”
Before he approached Ferrante, Berardino watched him drink from the two bottles, one a 200-milliliter (6.8 ounces) bottle of vodka and the other a 16-ounce bottle of cranberry juice. Ferrante then got out of his car holding the two nearly empty bottles and stumbled toward a Dumpster, police said.
Police said Ferrante nearly fell while doing field sobriety tests. There is no indication in court papers that he took a Breathalyzer test.
Ferrante was arrested at the scene and arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Peabody District Court, where Judge Richard Mori not only revoked his $5,000 bail in the child porn case but set additional bail of $500 in the drunken-driving case.
Ferrante is also charged with violating the city’s open container ordinance. He pleaded not guilty to both charges.
In November, he also pleaded not guilty to charges that he stored and shared child pornography on his home computer, which was connected to an online file-sharing service frequently used by pedophiles. Those charges came after an investigator from the Internet Crimes Against Children unit of the state police linked his IP address to one that was offering explicit images of boys.
He is due back in court on April 16 for a probable cause hearing in the child pornography case and a pretrial hearing in the drunken-driving case.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Officer Jeremy Wyskiel Arrested for Drunk Driving
Vermont State Police say they were called to assist Colchester police with a suspected DUI at about midnight Monday, because the suspect was Colchester Police Ofc. Jeremy Wyskiel, 36.
Troopers say earlier in the evening,Wyskiel was reportedly arguing with a woman in the parking lot of a Colchester bar. They later left together. Police say the vehicle was then reportedly seen driving erratically on Route 7. Colchester police caught up with the vehicle on Jason Drive and made contact with the driver, Wyskiel. Police suspected he maybe under the influence and called in state police for assistance.
State police say Wyskiel was arrested without incident and released on a citation to appear in court April 15 for DUI.
In a statement, Colchester PoliceChief Jennifer Morrison said, "VSP is handling the criminal inquiry into this matter. CPD is actively investigating a personnel matter related to this incident and will have no further comment at this time other than to offer the following public information: Jeremy Wyskiel has served as a Colchester Police Officer since September of 2008and is currently on administrative leave."
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Officer Jovon Tierell Bonneau Arrested for DUI
Jovon Tierell Bonneau, 28, who has been a Charleston police officer since June 2010, was arrested early Sunday after he stumbled and swayed during a field-sobriety test in North Charleston, an incident report stated.
A breath test later indicated that his blood-alcohol content was 0.19 percent, according to the document. That's more than twice the legal driving limit of 0.08 percent.
When North Charleston police officers searched the car that Bonneau's truck hit, they found 20 small bags of methamphetamine, they said. Lashaun Q. White, 32, of Valcour Road on Johns Island, was arrested on a charge of possession with intent to distribute meth.
It was the first arrest in South Carolina for both men, according to the State Law Enforcement Division.
Bonneau was placed on unpaid leave, Charleston police spokesman Charles Francis said. He was off duty and in his own vehicle at the time of the wreck, Francis said.
His driver's license was suspended.
The events leading to the arrests started about 2:42 a.m. Sunday, as a North Charleston police officer worked an off-duty job at an IHOP restaurant. The officer reported seeing Bonneau's Dodge Ram rear-end a Toyota Corolla at a traffic light at Ashley Phosphate and Mazyck roads.
The Toyota's driver, 35-year-old Shanta Nelson of Betsy Kerrison Parkway on Johns Island, and the passenger, White, were hurt. Paramedics took them to Roper Hospital Diagnostics & ER Northwoods.
Bonneau was uninjured and steered his truck into the IHOP parking lot, police said. As he completed a crash report, the officer reported that he smelled alcohol on Bonneau's breath. Bonneau's eyes were red, and he often lost his balance while performing tasks during the sobriety test, according to the report.
Bonneau told the officer that he had two drinks at a bar "up the road," the paperwork stated.
Before he took the breath test at police headquarters, according to the report, Bonneau fell asleep. An officer said he awakened Bonneau so he could answer questions for a jail booking report.
Bonneau, a resident of Marinella Drive in Goose Creek, spent seven hours at the Charleston County jail before he was freed on bail.
Meanwhile, officers said they searched the Toyota while preparing to have it towed.
They found the small bags of meth in the glove compartment, police said. They weighed 6.7 grams, or about a quarter of an ounce.
At the hospital, White acknowledged that drugs were his, an incident report stated, and said that his girlfriend had nothing to do with it.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Two Officers Arrested for Drunk Driving Due in Court
Two off-duty Sheboygan Police officers who were arrested in December for drunk driving are due back in court on Friday, March 14.
Officers Ryan Walloch, 25, and Stephen Schnabel, 35, were arrested Dec. 5 after a late-night accident at the corner of Superior Avenue and North Taylor Drive.
Both were off-duty, according to information released by the Sheboygan Police Department the next day, and in their personal vehicles when one driver rear-ended the other at the blinking red light on Superior Avenue.
An arrest report showed that Walloch’s preliminary blood alcohol content was 0.10 and Schnabel’s was 0.23. A blood-alcohol content of 0.08 is considered evidence of drunken driving.
Both officers were cited for first-offense OWI and operating a motor vehicle with a prohibited alcohol concentration. They were placed on administrative duties briefly but have been back on duty since a couple of days after the arrest, Sheboygan Police Capt. Steve Cobb said.
They pleaded not guilty at an initial appearance in Sheboygan-Kohler Muncipal Court and will have a pretrial hearing on Friday.
Cobb said an internal investigation is ongoing and he declined to comment on what kinds of departmental discipline would be considered for both officers.
Walloch has been with the City of Sheboygan since June 2011. Schnabel has been a police officer with the City of Sheboygan since August 2005.
Details about which man was driving which vehicle and where the officers had been earlier that night have not been released.
Officers Ryan Walloch, 25, and Stephen Schnabel, 35, were arrested Dec. 5 after a late-night accident at the corner of Superior Avenue and North Taylor Drive.
Both were off-duty, according to information released by the Sheboygan Police Department the next day, and in their personal vehicles when one driver rear-ended the other at the blinking red light on Superior Avenue.
An arrest report showed that Walloch’s preliminary blood alcohol content was 0.10 and Schnabel’s was 0.23. A blood-alcohol content of 0.08 is considered evidence of drunken driving.
Both officers were cited for first-offense OWI and operating a motor vehicle with a prohibited alcohol concentration. They were placed on administrative duties briefly but have been back on duty since a couple of days after the arrest, Sheboygan Police Capt. Steve Cobb said.
They pleaded not guilty at an initial appearance in Sheboygan-Kohler Muncipal Court and will have a pretrial hearing on Friday.
Cobb said an internal investigation is ongoing and he declined to comment on what kinds of departmental discipline would be considered for both officers.
Walloch has been with the City of Sheboygan since June 2011. Schnabel has been a police officer with the City of Sheboygan since August 2005.
Details about which man was driving which vehicle and where the officers had been earlier that night have not been released.
Sunday, March 09, 2014
Corrections Officer Patrick Brown Arrested for Drunk Driving
A city Department of Correction officer was busted on charges of drunk driving early Monday morning, police said.
Cops pulled Patrick Brown, 33, over for a broken tail light at 3:44 a.m. near the intersection of Francis Lewis Boulevard and Grand Central Parkway and found he had been drinking, the NYPD said.
He had an alcohol level of .105 percent in his blood when he blew into a Breathalyzer, according to the NYPD, which is above the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
Brown had not been charged before with a DWI, police said.
Cops pulled Patrick Brown, 33, over for a broken tail light at 3:44 a.m. near the intersection of Francis Lewis Boulevard and Grand Central Parkway and found he had been drinking, the NYPD said.
He had an alcohol level of .105 percent in his blood when he blew into a Breathalyzer, according to the NYPD, which is above the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
Brown had not been charged before with a DWI, police said.
Tuesday, March 04, 2014
More Charges Filed Against Officer Dana Bond
A suspended Detroit Police officer has been charged with multiple misdemeanors in connection to an alcohol-related car crash that occurred Sunday.
Officer Dana Bond, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, is accused of driving while intoxicated when she crashed her car into another vehicle at 1:05 p.m. Sunday, injuring a 19-year-old male driver and his 16-year-old female passenger.
After striking the car, officials say, the 41-year-old allegedly attempted to flee the scene, ran into a snow bank and was arrested.
The injured victims were transported to a local hospital and were listed in stable condition, according to officials.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy’s office Tuesday announced Bond is charged with High Blood Alcohol Content (180-day misdemeanor), Failure to Stop at the Scene of a Personal Injury Accident (one-year misdemeanor) and Failure to Stop at the Scene of an Accident with Property Damage (90-day Misdemeanor).
Bond was previously suspended in connection to misdemeanor charges of retail fraud on Aug. 19 and Aug. 28. Bond allegedly stole item(s), including wine, from two separate stores. She is scheduled to have jury trials on both cases 9 a.m. April 15 before Judge Ronald Giles In 36th District Court.
The Detroit Police report that the defendant was arraigned this morning on the new charges. Bond was set at $10,000.
Officer Dana Bond, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, is accused of driving while intoxicated when she crashed her car into another vehicle at 1:05 p.m. Sunday, injuring a 19-year-old male driver and his 16-year-old female passenger.
After striking the car, officials say, the 41-year-old allegedly attempted to flee the scene, ran into a snow bank and was arrested.
The injured victims were transported to a local hospital and were listed in stable condition, according to officials.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy’s office Tuesday announced Bond is charged with High Blood Alcohol Content (180-day misdemeanor), Failure to Stop at the Scene of a Personal Injury Accident (one-year misdemeanor) and Failure to Stop at the Scene of an Accident with Property Damage (90-day Misdemeanor).
Bond was previously suspended in connection to misdemeanor charges of retail fraud on Aug. 19 and Aug. 28. Bond allegedly stole item(s), including wine, from two separate stores. She is scheduled to have jury trials on both cases 9 a.m. April 15 before Judge Ronald Giles In 36th District Court.
The Detroit Police report that the defendant was arraigned this morning on the new charges. Bond was set at $10,000.
Monday, March 03, 2014
Officer Dana Bond Arrested for Drunk Driving
The suspended Detroit police officer who was arrested this weekend
suspected of driving drunk has been suspended from the department after
other serious charges were brought against her last year.
Police said Officer Dana Bond was driving off-duty near Plymouth Road and Memorial Street Sunday afternoon when she turned in front of another vehicle, causing an accident. No one was seriously hurt. Police say Bond tried to leave the scene.
She has been suspended from the department indefinitely and without pay since November 2013, when police say she was charged with two counts of misdemeanor retail fraud.
The day of the accident police say her blood alcohol level was a 0.26, almost three times the legal limit.
Police say she will be arraigned on charges of drunken driving and trying to flee the scene later this week, and she awaits her next retail fraud preliminary exam later this month.
Police said Officer Dana Bond was driving off-duty near Plymouth Road and Memorial Street Sunday afternoon when she turned in front of another vehicle, causing an accident. No one was seriously hurt. Police say Bond tried to leave the scene.
She has been suspended from the department indefinitely and without pay since November 2013, when police say she was charged with two counts of misdemeanor retail fraud.
The day of the accident police say her blood alcohol level was a 0.26, almost three times the legal limit.
Police say she will be arraigned on charges of drunken driving and trying to flee the scene later this week, and she awaits her next retail fraud preliminary exam later this month.
Sunday, March 02, 2014
Suspended Detroit Officer Arrested for Drunk Driving
A suspended Detroit police officer was arrested on a drunken driving charge Sunday after a collision with another motorist.
Detroit Deputy Chief Rodney Johnson said that at 12:50 p.m. Sunday, Detroit police officers responded to a 911 call of a crash on Plymouth Road near Memorial.
The officer, a woman whom police did not identify by age or number of years on the force, was westbound on Plymouth when a collision occurred with an eastbound vehicle.
Johnson said the accident was caused by the officer, who was not injured but was charged with operating a vehicle while impaired.
The driver of the other vehicle was not injured but her passenger complained of stomach pain and was evaluated, Johnson said.
Information on why and when the officer was suspended was not immediately available, Johnson said.
Detroit Deputy Chief Rodney Johnson said that at 12:50 p.m. Sunday, Detroit police officers responded to a 911 call of a crash on Plymouth Road near Memorial.
The officer, a woman whom police did not identify by age or number of years on the force, was westbound on Plymouth when a collision occurred with an eastbound vehicle.
Johnson said the accident was caused by the officer, who was not injured but was charged with operating a vehicle while impaired.
The driver of the other vehicle was not injured but her passenger complained of stomach pain and was evaluated, Johnson said.
Information on why and when the officer was suspended was not immediately available, Johnson said.
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Detective Karen Almos Arrested for Drunk Driving
A San Diego police detective was arrested Saturday on suspicion of drunken driving when she was found sleeping in her parked car at Balboa Park, authorities said Tuesday.
Detective Karen Almos, 47, a 16-year department veteran, has been assigned to administrative duties as an investigation continues, police Detective Gary Hassen said.
Hassen said paramedics found her in a parked vehicle about 3:25 p.m. on Pan America Plaza. She later was identified as a police detective, and San Diego police arrested her, Hassen said.
Almos was booked into Las Colinas jail in Santee, then released on bail set at $2,500, a jail record shows.
San Diego police Lt. Kevin Mayer said the state Vehicle Code section on drunken driving “gives officers a lot of leeway” in making arrests.
“The officers looked at all the evidence and believed they had enough to arrest her for this offense,” Mayer said. “This case illustrates that criminal behavior by our officers, on or off duty, is not tolerated. The chief has made this clear.”
The Vehicle Code says a DUI arrest may be made if the person is “in or about a vehicle” that obstructs a road, or if the person might cause injury or damage if not immediately arrested.
“What if we walked away, knowing the person could potentially hurt somebody?” California Highway Patrol Officer Jim Bettencourt said. “You can’t assume someone’s going to sleep off their intoxication.”
CHP Officer Kevin Pearlstein said an officer’s arrest report would note certain facts, such as seeing the person in the driver’s seat with a key in the ignition, and ask how the person got there and whether they had been drinking.
A fundraising event involving police, the Kiwanis Club and the public had been held earlier in the day at the location of Almos’ arrest outside the Balboa Park Club.
The 11th annual Guacamole Bowl, with teams preparing guacamole dip recipes for judging, raised more than $14,500 for the Sports for Exceptional Athletes program for developmentally disabled children and adults, said Clara Downes, the program’s associate director.
Downes said Tuesday that no alcohol is served at the fundraiser.
Four law enforcement teams were among the 26 teams that prepared and served guacamole samples. Members of the public paid $5 to taste the samples and vote for their favorites, Downes said.
No information was immediately available about whether Almos attended or participated in the Guacamole Bowl. Mayer said he has not confirmed whether she was there.
The event was open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but teams started at 8 a.m. to fix their recipes, Downes said. She estimated that more than 2,000 people attended, including some of the athletes in the program.
The National Latino Peace Officers Association took first place in the law enforcement division, while a team fielded by the San Diego Metropolitan Credit Union winning the overall top prize, Downes said.
Last April, San Diego police Detective Jeffrey Blackford pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drunken-driving charges related to a December incident in which he crashed his unmarked police car into a roadside utility box.
Detective Karen Almos, 47, a 16-year department veteran, has been assigned to administrative duties as an investigation continues, police Detective Gary Hassen said.
Hassen said paramedics found her in a parked vehicle about 3:25 p.m. on Pan America Plaza. She later was identified as a police detective, and San Diego police arrested her, Hassen said.
Almos was booked into Las Colinas jail in Santee, then released on bail set at $2,500, a jail record shows.
San Diego police Lt. Kevin Mayer said the state Vehicle Code section on drunken driving “gives officers a lot of leeway” in making arrests.
“The officers looked at all the evidence and believed they had enough to arrest her for this offense,” Mayer said. “This case illustrates that criminal behavior by our officers, on or off duty, is not tolerated. The chief has made this clear.”
The Vehicle Code says a DUI arrest may be made if the person is “in or about a vehicle” that obstructs a road, or if the person might cause injury or damage if not immediately arrested.
“What if we walked away, knowing the person could potentially hurt somebody?” California Highway Patrol Officer Jim Bettencourt said. “You can’t assume someone’s going to sleep off their intoxication.”
CHP Officer Kevin Pearlstein said an officer’s arrest report would note certain facts, such as seeing the person in the driver’s seat with a key in the ignition, and ask how the person got there and whether they had been drinking.
A fundraising event involving police, the Kiwanis Club and the public had been held earlier in the day at the location of Almos’ arrest outside the Balboa Park Club.
The 11th annual Guacamole Bowl, with teams preparing guacamole dip recipes for judging, raised more than $14,500 for the Sports for Exceptional Athletes program for developmentally disabled children and adults, said Clara Downes, the program’s associate director.
Downes said Tuesday that no alcohol is served at the fundraiser.
Four law enforcement teams were among the 26 teams that prepared and served guacamole samples. Members of the public paid $5 to taste the samples and vote for their favorites, Downes said.
No information was immediately available about whether Almos attended or participated in the Guacamole Bowl. Mayer said he has not confirmed whether she was there.
The event was open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but teams started at 8 a.m. to fix their recipes, Downes said. She estimated that more than 2,000 people attended, including some of the athletes in the program.
The National Latino Peace Officers Association took first place in the law enforcement division, while a team fielded by the San Diego Metropolitan Credit Union winning the overall top prize, Downes said.
Last April, San Diego police Detective Jeffrey Blackford pleaded guilty to misdemeanor drunken-driving charges related to a December incident in which he crashed his unmarked police car into a roadside utility box.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Veteran Officer Kent Scott Arrested for DWI
Portland Police arrested one of their own, accused of intoxicated driving.
Police say Kent Scott was off-duty when he was pulled over at 9:50 p.m. Tuesday on Southeast 148th and Division Street. He was cited for driving while intoxicated and reckless driving. He was not booked in jail.
Scott is a 22-year veteran of Portland Police and was assigned to the transit police division. He has now been placed in an off-street assignment pending an internal review.
Police say Kent Scott was off-duty when he was pulled over at 9:50 p.m. Tuesday on Southeast 148th and Division Street. He was cited for driving while intoxicated and reckless driving. He was not booked in jail.
Scott is a 22-year veteran of Portland Police and was assigned to the transit police division. He has now been placed in an off-street assignment pending an internal review.
Trooper Jeremy Garner Arrested Again for Drunk Driving
Columbus Police say Trooper Jeremy Garner plowed into two parked cars Sunday night, and then attempted to drive away.
Investigators say his blood alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit.
Columbus Police records indicate Garner was aggressively drunk when he got behind the wheel Sunday night, and crashed into two parked cars.
"I heard a big loud boom outside of my window," said Nicole Celebrezze.
She says she looked out her window to see her car had been hit.
She says she called 911 and ran down to the street, to see the SUV that hit her car pulling away. "He almost made it to High Street, but I don't think he would have gotten far because his tire was sideways."
By that time, Columbus Police were there, keeping the driver from going any further.
"He pretty much fell out of the automobile," Celebrezze said. "That's when I knew this was a drunk driver."
A Columbus Police crash report shows Garner tested at .277, more than three times the legal limit.
"Didn't seem coherent. I highly doubt he remembers anything that occurred," Celebrezze said.
Records show this wasn't Garner's first OVI charge.
In 2007, Grove City Police stopped him for speeding, clocking him at 69 miles per hour in a 35 zone.
He failed field sobriety tests, and registered a blood alcohol content of .209.
The test was thrown out because of a machine malfunction, but he pleaded guilty, getting 3 days in jail, two years' probation, and a 6 month license suspension.
"When are you going to learn?" asked Celebrezze. "At least learn from the first mistake, if you're going to make a mistake at all."
She knows this could have been worse. "I'm just glad no one got hurt," she said.
But she's troubled by the actions of a public safety professional who should know better.
"It's a serious thing, State Trooper or not. When you're in that position, in the public eye, you should really, really have some consequences for those actions."
Garner faces charges tonight including OVI and fleeing the scene of a crash.
The State Patrol said he is using his own leave time right now as the Patrol investigates the matter.
We asked how his last OVI was handled by the Patrol, but they can't tell us.
The Department of Public Safety only retains internal investigation records for 5 years, so a spokesperson says those records from 2007 no longer exist.
Officer Christopher Luzinski Arrested for Drunk Driving
An Oak Creek police officer is on paid administrative leave as he
faces criminal charges of driving drunk and leading Elm Grove police on a
high-speed chase.
Christopher Luzinski, 37, of Franklin has been an officer with the Oak Creek Police Department for about three years and was placed on leave as a result of his arrest early Saturday, Oak Creek Chief John Edwards said.
An internal investigation has been opened and will parallel the criminal investigation, Edwards said.
Luzinski faces a felony charge of fleeing police, and if convicted, he faces a potential maximum sentence of 31/2 years in prison. If convicted of a felony, Luzinski could not serve as a police officer, as federal law prohibits felons from possessing firearms.
An Elm Grove police officer first noticed Luzinski's vehicle about 3 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of Elm Grove Road and Watertown Plank Road, where Luzinski slowed but did not stop at the intersection, according to a criminal complaint.
Luzinski, who was off-duty, then made several turns on different roads before finally turning onto Watertown Plank Road, where he accelerated to speeds between 75 and 85 mph, records show.
The Elm Grove officer activated his emergency lights and sirens to try to stop the vehicle, which fled. Luzinski slowed to turn westbound onto Blue Mound Road but then accelerated again reaching a speed of 101 mph, police said. Luzinski lost control on Blue Mound Road at Terrace Drive and finally came to a complete stop at a red traffic signal, having led police on a 1.7 mile-pursuit, according to documents.
Officers gave the Luzinski a field sobriety test after noticing his bloodshot eyes and slurred speech, and then gave him a breath test that showed his blood-alcohol level was 0.19, the criminal complaint states. That is more than twice the level of 0.08 considered proof of intoxication in Wisconsin.
Officers noted that Luzinski admitted to being an Oak Creek police officer, did not remember leaving the bar and was apologetic throughout the traffic stop.
Luzinski was charged Monday and posted his $1,500 bail later that day. He is due back in court March 12.
Christopher Luzinski, 37, of Franklin has been an officer with the Oak Creek Police Department for about three years and was placed on leave as a result of his arrest early Saturday, Oak Creek Chief John Edwards said.
An internal investigation has been opened and will parallel the criminal investigation, Edwards said.
Luzinski faces a felony charge of fleeing police, and if convicted, he faces a potential maximum sentence of 31/2 years in prison. If convicted of a felony, Luzinski could not serve as a police officer, as federal law prohibits felons from possessing firearms.
An Elm Grove police officer first noticed Luzinski's vehicle about 3 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of Elm Grove Road and Watertown Plank Road, where Luzinski slowed but did not stop at the intersection, according to a criminal complaint.
Luzinski, who was off-duty, then made several turns on different roads before finally turning onto Watertown Plank Road, where he accelerated to speeds between 75 and 85 mph, records show.
The Elm Grove officer activated his emergency lights and sirens to try to stop the vehicle, which fled. Luzinski slowed to turn westbound onto Blue Mound Road but then accelerated again reaching a speed of 101 mph, police said. Luzinski lost control on Blue Mound Road at Terrace Drive and finally came to a complete stop at a red traffic signal, having led police on a 1.7 mile-pursuit, according to documents.
Officers gave the Luzinski a field sobriety test after noticing his bloodshot eyes and slurred speech, and then gave him a breath test that showed his blood-alcohol level was 0.19, the criminal complaint states. That is more than twice the level of 0.08 considered proof of intoxication in Wisconsin.
Officers noted that Luzinski admitted to being an Oak Creek police officer, did not remember leaving the bar and was apologetic throughout the traffic stop.
Luzinski was charged Monday and posted his $1,500 bail later that day. He is due back in court March 12.
Wednesday, February 05, 2014
Sgt. Thomas Winkis Charged with Killing Driver Will Stand Trial
A former Philadelphia police officer will stand trial on charges
stemming from an off-duty car crash that killed the other driver.
The Philadelphia Inquirer said a judge Wednesday ruled that there was enough evidence for the case to proceed against 46-year-old former police Sgt. Thomas Winkis on charges including vehicular homicide, involuntary manslaughter and drunken driving.
Investigators say Winkis was drunk and driving 100 mph in a 35 mph zone when he broadsided a van around 11:30 p.m. on Sept. 14 in northeast Philadelphia.
The driver of the van, 55-year-old David Farries, died in a hospital several days later.
Winkis had been fired from the police force.
The Philadelphia Inquirer said a judge Wednesday ruled that there was enough evidence for the case to proceed against 46-year-old former police Sgt. Thomas Winkis on charges including vehicular homicide, involuntary manslaughter and drunken driving.
Investigators say Winkis was drunk and driving 100 mph in a 35 mph zone when he broadsided a van around 11:30 p.m. on Sept. 14 in northeast Philadelphia.
The driver of the van, 55-year-old David Farries, died in a hospital several days later.
Winkis had been fired from the police force.
Officer Candace LaForest Charged with Drunk Driving
A 12-year veteran officer of the Troy Police Department has been charged
in a drunken driving case following a nearly three-week investigation.
An internal investigation remains underway and the officer is on administrative leave.
Candace LaForest, 34, pleaded not guilty Tuesday morning in Troy District Court with operating with a high blood-alcohol content, a misdemeanor that carries up to a 180-day jail stay upon conviction, according to Michigan’s super drunk laws.
The 34-year-old, who has been a sworn officer since 2005, had personal bond set at $1,000.
Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper said Troy’s district judges had been considering whether to recuse themselves from the case, slowing the process. They did so after LaForest’s arraignment, and the case is now being reassigned to another court that hasn’t been named yet. A future court date will be scheduled.
The investigation stems from a traffic stop around midnight Jan. 18 when LaForest was in a pickup truck headed eastbound on Big Beaver, near Rochester Road. Patrol officers said they saw the driver hit a median curb twice.
Police approached the driver, identified her as LaForest — who was off duty — then detected a “very strong odor of alcohol coming from the driver and compartment area,” according to police reports.
She refused to take a Breathalyzer test and was arrested for operating while intoxicated, but a blood sample was taken and submitted to Michigan State Police for analysis, police said.
The results, which returned from the lab about a week later, indicated that the driver had a 0.27 percent blood alcohol content — more than three times the legal limit of 0.08 to drive a car, prompting the charges.
The blood draw in lieu of the Breathalyzer test slowed the process, said Troy Sgt. Andy Breidenich.
“Most drunk driving cases where there is a blood draw take a month or more while we’re waiting for blood results … then you have to review, submit to prosecutors and await the signing of a warrant … then come charges,” he said.
Troy Capt. Robert Redmond added that officers personally handled the criminal investigation — and he is heading the internal investigation — in an “expeditious manner,” to avoid accusations of “stone-walling” the investigation.
“We drove (the case) there (to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office) in person, got blood-alcohol results from the Michigan State Police in five days,” he said. “Also, it takes time to set a date with an attorney, so we let it go through the proper course ... but she will be held accountable for her actions.”
LaForest has been with the Troy Police Department since 2001. She started her career as a civilian employee in various units, then was sworn in as a uniformed officer in 2005.
An internal investigation remains underway and the officer is on administrative leave.
Candace LaForest, 34, pleaded not guilty Tuesday morning in Troy District Court with operating with a high blood-alcohol content, a misdemeanor that carries up to a 180-day jail stay upon conviction, according to Michigan’s super drunk laws.
The 34-year-old, who has been a sworn officer since 2005, had personal bond set at $1,000.
Oakland County Prosecutor Jessica Cooper said Troy’s district judges had been considering whether to recuse themselves from the case, slowing the process. They did so after LaForest’s arraignment, and the case is now being reassigned to another court that hasn’t been named yet. A future court date will be scheduled.
The investigation stems from a traffic stop around midnight Jan. 18 when LaForest was in a pickup truck headed eastbound on Big Beaver, near Rochester Road. Patrol officers said they saw the driver hit a median curb twice.
Police approached the driver, identified her as LaForest — who was off duty — then detected a “very strong odor of alcohol coming from the driver and compartment area,” according to police reports.
She refused to take a Breathalyzer test and was arrested for operating while intoxicated, but a blood sample was taken and submitted to Michigan State Police for analysis, police said.
The results, which returned from the lab about a week later, indicated that the driver had a 0.27 percent blood alcohol content — more than three times the legal limit of 0.08 to drive a car, prompting the charges.
The blood draw in lieu of the Breathalyzer test slowed the process, said Troy Sgt. Andy Breidenich.
“Most drunk driving cases where there is a blood draw take a month or more while we’re waiting for blood results … then you have to review, submit to prosecutors and await the signing of a warrant … then come charges,” he said.
Troy Capt. Robert Redmond added that officers personally handled the criminal investigation — and he is heading the internal investigation — in an “expeditious manner,” to avoid accusations of “stone-walling” the investigation.
“We drove (the case) there (to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office) in person, got blood-alcohol results from the Michigan State Police in five days,” he said. “Also, it takes time to set a date with an attorney, so we let it go through the proper course ... but she will be held accountable for her actions.”
LaForest has been with the Troy Police Department since 2001. She started her career as a civilian employee in various units, then was sworn in as a uniformed officer in 2005.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Deputy Chief Andi Higbee Arrested for DUI
According to the Vermont State Police, Higbee was pulled over on Route 105 in Sheldon early Sunday morning. Officials say the reason he was stopped was for failing to use a turn signal. Higbee was subsequently arrested for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. He was transported to the St. Albans Barracks and released on a citation. Higbee is due in court on August 12th.
According to Burlington Police Chief Michael Schirling, Higbee has been placed on paid administrative leave. No one from the department was available for further comment Sunday.
This is not Higbee's first arrest. In 1999, Higbee pleaded guilty to drunk driving after crashing his car in Charlotte. In both cases, Higbee was off-duty.
Friday, May 03, 2013
Officer Kristopher Landis Arrested for Drinking and Driving
A Farmington Hills police officer has been suspended without pay after investigators say he was drinking and driving.Officer Kristopher Landis has been with the Farmington Hills police department for 7 years.
On the night of March 10, police in South Lyon say Landis crashed his Buick into an unoccupied parked car on South Parkwood Drive.
The owner of the car said his car was totaled.
According to the police report, Landis told investigators he was driving home when he hit the other car. The report says Landis' "speech was greatly slurred" and there was a "very strong odor of intoxicants on his breath".
Documents show Officer Landis had a blood alcohol content of .17 which is more than twice the legal limit of .08.
A second test showed he had a blood alcohol content of .15. Officer Landis says he plead guilty to drinking and driving. He gave this statement to 7 Action News:
"I was going through an extremely hard time in my life. I made a mistake. I'm grateful
no one was hurt. I've learned from it. I'm using it to better myself as an officer and a person.
I'm extremely grateful for all the support from my immediate family and my brothers
at the police department."
We reached out to Farmington Hills Police Chief Chuck Nebus. He says Officer Landis is a good officer with a good record. As for when Landis could be back on the force, Chief Nebus said he can't legally comment since the internal matter hasn't been resolved yet.
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