Calhoun County Deputy Arrested for Operating While Intoxicated

An off-duty Calhoun County Sheriff’s deputy was recently discovered, passed out, inside his vehicle. He was arrested early in the morning and is now facing possible charges for operating while intoxicated.

The deputy, a male whose name has not been released to the public pending arraignment, was discovered unresponsive behind the wheel of his personal vehicle. He was stopped at the intersection of H Drive South and 4 Mile Road in Leroy Township. He was not on duty at the time of arrest. The arrested deputy was taken to the Kalamazoo County Jail.

According to Michigan State Police, the case is still under investigation. No charges have been filed yet. However, the deputy has been placed on paid administrative leave.  In addition to the investigation conducted by MSP, the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department’s Office of Professional Standards will also be looking into the incident.

According to Sheriff Matt Saxton, deputies are human beings. Thus, they are susceptible to making poor choices and mistakes sometimes. However, he also pointed out that the deputy will not receive any special treatment. He will be dealt with as if he were an average citizen.

The Sheriff noted that law enforcement officers are often held to a higher standard by the public. A point which he says he doesn’t disagree with. But no one is perfect and it is very likely that this particular deputy will be facing charges for drunk driving in the near future.

This is not the first time that the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department has had to deal with a deputy making the news for a DUI. Earlier this year deputy Noemi Garza made waves for striking someone’s car and then fleeing the scene while intoxicated. She pled guilty to single charges of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and possession of a firearm while intoxicated. She was later sentenced to probation.