A Saline County deputy was arrested on a charge of driving while intoxicated Thursday night after his sheriff's office vehicle crashed into a tree in Bryant, according to a police report.
Bryant police arrested Chris Maher, who has been placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation.
"I take DWI very seriously and will not condone anyone, whether private citizen or Saline County sheriff's office employee, putting lives at risk when operating a motor vehicle while impaired," Sheriff Rodney Wright said.
Police responded at 10 p.m. to a report of a single-vehicle crash near Boone Road and Shady Trail, where they found Maher's vehicle stuck in a ditch, Bryant police spokesman Sgt. Todd Crowson said.
Police said Maher's vehicle had run off the road and struck a tree about 500 feet west of Mount Carmel Road. Crowson said Maher continued east on Boone Road and then turned around to return to the site of the accident.
Failing to find the site, he attempted to turn around on Shady Trail but drove into a ditch, Crowson said. He tried backing out several times but couldn't free his vehicle, Crowson said.
Officers cited Maher with careless and prohibited driving after conducting sobriety tests then drove him to his home on Boone Road, according to the report.
State Desk on 04/02/2016