When not on duty and driving their own personal vehicles, Lake Charles law enforcement officers (and all others) are bound by the same traffic laws as other Louisiana motorists. They required to wear seat belts, stop at traffic lights and obey all laws regarding alcohol consumption and operation of motor vehicles just like everyone else. Also like everyone else, police officers can make mistakes, exhibit lapses of judgment and even get arrested for drunk driving.
How the court will rule in this regard in light of one officer’s recent arrest remains to be seen. He was arrested by a state trooper who said he saw the personal vehicle the officer in question was driving at the time swerving on the road. The trooper made a traffic stop and wound up arresting the 58-year-old deputy for intoxicated driving.
The arresting officer wrote that the driver had made an improper lane change likely related to DWI. The deputy had been employed since 2010 in Bossier Parish. He was booked into a maximum security prison with bond set at $1200 after the recent Thursday night incident.
It was reportedly the deputy’s first offense, which often helps defendants obtain positive outcomes in court. Other factors in avoiding conviction and minimizing negative consequences of a drunk driving arrest often include aligning oneself with highly skilled legal representation. An experienced defense attorney knows how to work within the law to achieve the best results possible in a particular situation. Anyone currently facing this type of challenge in Lake Charles or another Louisiana region may request immediate assistance from an experienced defense attorney.
Source: ksla.com, “Bossier deputy fired after DWI arrest“, March 3, 2017
