Charges have been filed against a Frederick police officer who crashed his patrol car into a guardrail nearly three weeks ago, according to State's Attorney Charlie Smith.
Investigators believe Officer Robert Pierce, an 11-year police force veteran, was driving under the influence when he lost control of the car on U.S. 15 at Jefferson Street.
No one was injured in the single-vehicle crash, and Pierce was off duty at the time, according to Lt. Clark Pennington, Frederick Police Department spokesman.
Smith said Thursday that charges had been filed and his office is sending the case to another county for a special prosecutor.
Smith did not elaborate on the action or the charges. He could not be reached for additional comment Thursday.
Pierce's charges were not listed Thursday evening in online court records.
The Frederick Police Department suspended Pierce with pay after the crash. In 2011, Pierce was reportedly paid a salary of $66,502.80.
Pierce has been assigned to the patrol division during his entire employment, police said.
He was arrested March 28 and taken to the Frederick County Sheriff's Office.
Before Pierce's arrest, police were told an FPD car was driving erratically. Police found the car and its driver in Middletown.
The driver was identified as Pierce.
Pierce pays dues to a union that will provide him with an attorney, according to Charlie Snyder, president of Francis Scott Key Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 91.
Copyright 2012 - The Frederick News-Post, Md.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
