A Los Angeles police officer who was involved in an accident at a McDonald's drive-thru has been cited for DUI. The Los Angeles Police Department officer was off-duty at the time.
The accident occurred at a McDonald's drive-thru in Diamond Bar, but did not fortunately result in injuries. According to the California Highway Patrol, the officer failed to negotiate a right turn, went off-ramp and crashed into the parking lot of the restaurant. The officer was injured, and had to be rushed to the hospital. No one else was injured in this accident. No breath test was administered at the site of the accident, and blood alcohol levels have not been reported yet.
California DUI laws are applicable equally to all citizens, but there's no doubt that police officers who work for the Los Angeles Police Department are held to a higher standard. The Los Angeles Police Department has released a statement, stating that it will not treat the officer differently from any other person arrested for DUI. According to a representative of the Department, a review board will analyze this case to understand whether the officer will be allowed to go out on patrol with a driving partner.
One of the more neglected consequences of a DUI conviction in California is the kind of effect it can have on your professional life. Not everybody will immediately feel the impact of a DUI conviction. In some occupations, a conviction may have little or no impact on your professional lives or your potential for promotions, or furthering your career. However, when the DUI involves a public official, a public servant like a police officer, or an employee of a city or state or local agency, a teacher or a person in any other kind of job that involves responsibility and authority, a DUI conviction could actually cause you to lose your job.
