The reports of law enforcement officers being arrested in Louisiana and nationwide on various criminal charges seems to be a permanent phenomenon going forward. In the past, the occasional arrest of a police officer was a highly newsworthy event. Now, however, such news is commonplace and it hardly causes much of a ripple in the public eye. Possibly the most reported offense for law enforcement officers is drunk driving.
The most recent arrest in that respect involves a 22-year veteran of the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office who was arrested recently by the Louisiana State Police for drunk driving. Because it was the man’s second offense, Sheriff Jeff Wiley announced that the man has been terminated from his job. Police say that he was pulled over for driving erratically and that he caused an accident with what was described as minor injuries.
The suspect faces one count of DWI (2nd offense). The prior arrest and conviction was for DWI in Oct. 2016. In that matter, he suffered a suspension of his job and of course of his driver’s license. During the punishment period of that offense he reportedly went through treatment and other requirements of the law. He eventually was reinstated to his position.
In this arrest, the Sheriff called the deputy’s decisions to be “dangerous and unlawful” such that he violated his oath of office. This prevented further employment by the office, according to the Sheriff. Nonetheless, it must be remembered that the accused has not yet been convicted of an offense and that there are a number of defenses under Louisiana law that may provide him with an acquittal of the charges. When faced with DWI charges, the accused individual will be best served by consulting with an experienced criminal defense attorney who is familiar with drunk driving prosecutions in the state.