A police chief in Camp Hill has been arrested by his own force following an accident officers believe may have been the result of intoxication. The Pennsylvania chief has been charged with drunk driving after an incident on Nov. 5. It is unclear whether he is still in custody, but it has been confirmed that he has been placed on leave during the investigation.
According to the police report, the officer allegedly crashed his vehicle into a tree and a mailbox sometime on Nov. 5. Officers on-site say they smelled a strong odor of alcohol on the man’s breath when they arrived on the scene. It is unclear what kind of roadside tests were conducted, but police say the man’s blood alcohol level was registered at twice the legal limit of .08 percent.
The man was arrested and relieved of his duties as police chief, a rank he has held since 2013. Before this time, he was a member of the Camp Hill Police Department since 1996. If he is found guilty of driving under the influence, he could be permanently removed as chief of police.
As in any case of this type, the accused man will be entitled to defense representation that will work to challenge the allegations that he was not intoxicated while driving his vehicle. Defense will carefully review the details and facts of the case, as well as any evidence the prosecution wishes to present to the Pennsylvania criminal court. This will help the man’s attorney to build a strong defense against the drunk driving charges filed against him.
Source: U.S. News & World Report, “Police Chief Who Hit Tree Is Charged With Drunken Driving“, Nov. 28, 2017
