ROANOKE, Va. (AP) — An on-duty Virginia sheriff’s deputy was arrested on Christmas Eve and charged with intoxicated driving, according to officials.
Pulaski County Sheriff’s Deputy Lemmie Sanders III, 35, was charged with driving under the influence after the sheriff’s office received a 911 call Friday night about the deputy’s erratic driving, according to Virginia state police spokesperson Corinne Geller.
A trooper then found Sanders’ vehicle after it had hit a curb. The car had “sustained minor damage,” Geller said, according to The Roanoke Times.
Sanders was taken to New River Regional Jail but released after posting bond. According to the newspaper, court records did not yet show a hearing scheduled for Sanders.
The Times could not immediately reach Sheriff Mike Worrell on Monday for information on the deputy’s current employment status.
Pulaski County Commonwealth’s Attorney Justin Griffith said in a statement that the circuit court will appoint a special prosecutor to handle Sanders’ case.