Thursday, May 21, 2015

Another IMPD Officer Arrested For Drunk Driving

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department may not be interested in enforcing drunk driving laws against its own officers, but neighboring police departments aren't giving them a pass. A 7-year veteran of the police department, 32-year old Christopher White, was stopped while off duty by a Hamilton Co. Sheriff's deputy after he saw White operating his personal vehicle in a reckless manner, weaving in and out of his lane and crossing traffic lines.

After White failed field sobriety tests, a certified chemical test was performed and he tested more than double the legal limit at 0.182. He was charged with two misdemeanors, driving while intoxicated with a blood alcohol level of more than 0.15 and operating a vehicle while intoxicated and endangering another person. White has been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation. A first-time alcohol offense typically results in a least a 30-day suspension according to department policy. White is a Noblesville resident. Don't just love the fact that so many IMPD officers live outside Marion County?

FELONY DRUNK DRIVING CHARGES DISMISSED AGAINST ROBERT BUTLER
While we're on the topic of drunk driving charges, remember Butler Toyota President Robert Butler being arrested for felony drunk driving charges last December after a car he was operating on I-465 on the city's northeast side struck two cars parked on the emergency shoulder, causing one of the vehicles to crush the legs of 25-year old Latin McKinney, who was trying to jump start his car? The quick actions of an Indiana State Trooper was credited with saving McKinney's life. Butler's blood alcohol level was more than double the legal limit at 0.184. Butler was charged by the Marion Co. Prosecutor's Office with two felony counts for operating a vehicle while intoxicated and causing serious bodily injury and causing serious bodily injury while operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol level greater than 0.08. On March 17, the prosecutor's office filed a motion to dismiss both felony charges, which Judge Annie Christ-Garcia signed the same date. Butler was directed to the BMV for a citation in lieu of the felony charges. Seriously? A different set of rules for the rich and powerful, eh?
Robert Butler makes his first court appearance.
Robert Butler (left) with his attorney Jim Voyles at his initial court appearance

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

To answer your question, I DO love the fact that so many officers live out of county. I'm happy to be one of them. If I don't have a marked take home car, why do YOU care where I chose to raise my family? I work the west side of Indianapolis. Do I have to live in Haughville to effectively police my district? I think not. Living out of county is an option I, and hundreds of other officers, exercise. Don't blame us if we chose not send our kids to IPS or some failing township school. Before I had children,I didn't take the school district into consideration. The neighborhood elemetary school was a "C" school and the middle school a "F" school. So we moved out of county where every school in our district is an "A" Four Star school. So please don't judge us for wanting the best for our children. Blame the local public school offerings.

Anonymous said...

What happened to the Cronism case of Captain Phil Burton, the Captain relieved of duty for incompetence as Traffic Branch Commander after Downtown Traffic was a disaster when Zig Ziglar gave an address?

In the Cronyism case, AI reported that he was caught by a citizen driving as if intoxicated. Police caught up to him and the superior gave him a pat on the back, a nod, and a wink and told him everything was OK.

The Chief of Police was reported by AI to have heard of this and ordered an immediate suspension...that is, until he leared that it wasn't the white Captain, it was the black Captain. Then a few phone calls were made and nothing happened.

Oh, yes there is clear and convincing evidence that he drove while under the influcence in VIOLATION OF IMPD POLICY, yet somehow after the phone call was made by The Police Chief, there was an unreasonable and unnecessary delay in alcohol testing....testing which any toxicologist would say was substantial enough to allow metabolism of the alcohol to remove the evidence.

Where is the investigation the Citizen Police Complaint Board ordered? What happened? Several irregularities were reported.

Now if only this patrolman had been given several hours of delay before his alcohol testing, he could have received "The Burton Treatment." But in a more honest county, without cronyism and racial favoritism justice was served.

Where is the Phil Burton investigation????

Anonymous said...

So, Terry Curry is giving a RICH guy with a BIG NAME ATTORNEY a pass on drunk driving.

...what I expect from a Democrat

Anonymous said...

Which family is this cop really referring to? His 3 ex-wifes' families? His current wife's family? His two current girl friends' on the side families?

Anonymous said...

I do not at all fault officers for living out of Marion County; Anon 10:01 provides clear proof that the quality of school systems in an indicator of the desirability of a city and its neighborhoods.

All Greg Ballard and the phony school board officials, many bought and paid for [e.g.: career Democrat hack Mary Ann Sullivan] by "private" companies profiteering off the real educational needs of children, accomplish is a continued debasement and devaluation of IPS which then in turn causes flight which then in turn causes erosion of neighborhoods and their value.

As a single Marion County voter, I have to admit I see no reason to remain in Marion County should I have young children with the important need to be well-educated to face an increasingly more difficult world.

Until IPS is improved, until our teachers are allowed to teach, until parents get involved and ensure their children learn in IPS and not be allowed to be hooligans who can threaten teachers and the act of teaching, Indianapolis will continue to see a flight to better education outside the deteriorating County.

Anonymous said...

" I work the west side of Indianapolis. Do I have to live in Haughville to effectively police my district?"

Yes.

Also, no city car, marked or not, should be allowed outside the County.

Anonymous said...

Are members of IFD still required to live in Marion County? I do believe having officers living outside of the county they're serving breeds contempt for the residents of said county--even the law abiding residents.

As far as Butler getting a very light tap on the wrist,not surprised. Everyone knows the justice system is for sale. Wyser proved this to be true. The worst is knowing that if Butler had killed someone--as long as it wasn't a member of the chamber of commerce--he still would've received a tap on the wrist.


There's definitely a different set of rules for those with money.

Anonymous said...

Well, I will never buy, or consider buying, a car from any of the Butler franchises. Vote with your wallet when you see this type of injustice.

There is a local jewelry store I will NEVER buy anything from (and I do buy my own jewelry) because his son is a DEADBEAT!

Too bad the idiot chief doesn't try to help his officers. Anyone will tell you, if you drink, stay out of Hamilton county.

Anonymous said...

IFD does not. As a matter of fact, they aren't required to live in a surrounding county either.