Calhoun County Deputy Facing Trial 

David J. Bowers, a 34-year-old Calhoun County Deputy was found passed out behind the wheel of his car in December. Now he faces a trial, which has been scheduled for March, 2016.

On December 18th, Bowers was discovered passed out behind the wheel by a Michigan State Trooper. His car was idling at the intersection of 4 Mile Road and H Drive South, located in Leroy Township. It was after midnight, Bowers was unresponsive, and the trooper arrested him for drunk driving.

At the time of his arrest, a press release put out by the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department included the following information: “Due to the deputy’s due process rights, and union contract, the deputy has been placed on administrative leave with pay while the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office of Professional Standards conducts its own internal investigation.”Bowers was released from the Kalamazoo County Jail on a $100 bond.

After an internal investigation, Bowers was placed on a 14 day suspension from duty. He was then re-assigned to work at the Calhoun County Jail instead of as part of the patrol unit.  Bowers has apparently worked for the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department for over 10 years.

His misdemeanor trial for operating while intoxicated is scheduled to take place in the Calhoun County District Court on March 11th. Interestingly, there has been no mention of moving the case to another county, or requesting a different prosecutor, due to possible conflict of interest issues.

Drunk driving is very rarely viewed as an excusable crime by the media or the general public. When the accused is a police officer or other member of the law enforcement community, there tends to be even less forgiveness. However, a good attorney can make a huge difference in how your case is managed, with more favorable outcomes for those accused of making mistakes. You don’t have to face this alone. Call us today.