People are still human beings, regardless of their profession or social status. As such, they make errors in judgment on occasion, and some may even find themselves on the wrong side of criminal allegations — even when they are not actually guilty. One Tennessee police officer has now found himself being accused of drunk driving and possessing firearms while intoxicated.

According to reports, law enforcement officials were requested to respond to an all-night restaurant, purportedly in regard to an earlier report of a traffic incident. A vehicle at the establishment was struck, and the driver thought responsible was said to have left without notification to the proper authorities. When police arrived at the address, they say they spotted a pickup truck parked improperly, with a portion of the vehicle resting on the grass beyond the curbing.

When officers approached the driver, who was identified as a fellow policeman, they say they detected the odor of alcohol and reported that he displayed indications that he was impaired. The man allegedly could not successfully complete the field test for sobriety, and he was subsequently arrested on suspicions of intoxicated driving. It was also indicated on the report that two loaded weapons were discovered in the cab of the vehicle and that they were not the property of the police department.

The Tennessee police department where the man is employed has stated that, for the time being, he has been relieved of his authority as a law enforcement officer and that he will be given an administrative assignment until further notice. The report did not indicate if the officer’s vehicle showed any signs that it had been involved in an accident, nor how police came to be called to the restaurant where the accused man was parked. The drunk driving charges could potentially impact this man’s continued employment with the police department, and accordingly, he such he may wish to vigorously defend himself against the allegations that have been filed. Furthermore, he may challenge the validity of any proposed evidence that the prosecutor may attempt to present in court while asserting his right to be presumed innocent of any wrong doing in this matter.

Source: wate.com, “Knoxville police officer arrested for DUI“, , June 20, 2014