Off-duty police officer facing DUI charges

An accusation of driving while under the influence is a serious matter. If an individual is charged with and convicted of DUI, his or her life can take a drastic negative turn. Aside from the fines and potential for incarceration, a DUI will have lasting effects. It can lead to the loss of a job, or make finding a new job difficult. In addition, there are a range of social repercussions that come with a DUI conviction in the state of Virginia.

An officer with the Lynchburg Police Department is currently faced with these potential outcomes after he was arrested and charged with DUI. According to police reports, the 15 year veteran was pulled over by Virginia State Police in the early morning hours of a recent Sunday. The man was driving his own vehicle and was off-duty at the time.

The officer refused to participate in sobriety testing and was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated. Reports indicate that he has been placed on administrative leave and will be paid according to the policies of the Lynchburg Police Department until the matter is resolved. In addition to the criminal case, an internal investigation is also underway.

Should this long-time officer be convicted of DUI, his employment with the Lynchburg Police Department could be negatively affected. In addition, police officers are held to a higher standard both by their departments and by society at large. Avoiding conviction is likely a top priority for this Virginia officer, and his legal team will be hard at work to uphold his rights and preserve his good name.

Source: wdbj7.com, “Off-duty Lynchburg police officer charged with DUI“, Aug. 22, 2016