COVINGTON, Ga. – A top-ranking official with the Covington Police Department (CPD) was recently taken into custody for allegedly driving under the influence.
Al Miller, a lieutenant with the CPD, was arrested by the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) in the early morning hours of June 12. He faces charges including driving under the influence of alcohol, open container and improper stopping on the highway.
According to a narrative report from the GSP, officers with the CPD spotted Miller in a white SUV stopped in the intersection between Williams Street and Elm Street. When a CPD officer approached Miller, they noted an open can of Blue Moon beer in his right hand.
Upon request from the CPD officer, the GSP responded to the scene where a DUI investigation was conducted.
The GSP officer noted that Miller “did not have any memory” as to how he got to the location while appearing to have “bloodshot and watery eyes” and breath odor consistent with an alcoholic beverage. A field sobriety test was conducted, which Miller failed.
After placing Miller into custody, GSP officers searched his car and were able to confirm there was a half-opened Blue Moon can in his center console.
Nearly an hour after his initial arrest, a breathalyzer machine revealed Miller’s blood alcohol content at 0.187 at 1:27 a.m. and 0.194 at 1:32 a.m. Both are more than double Georgia’s legal limit, which is 0.08 for drivers over the age of 21.
Jail records show that Miller bonded out of jail at 8:26 a.m. that same morning. He is set to appear in Newton County Court on Aug. 13.
In a statement to The Covington News, interim CPD Chief Brent Fuesting called the arrest “deeply disappointing.”
“This incident is deeply disappointing and does not reflect the values or standards of the Covington Police Department,” Fuesting said. “Our department holds its officers to the highest standards of personal and professional conduct, both on and off duty. A DUI offense not only endangers our public’s lives; it also erodes public confidence in our profession. We will not tolerate behavior that undermines the integrity of our agency or the trust of the community we serve.”
Miller – who officially serves in an administrative capacity within the Support Services Division – has been placed on administrative leave while an internal investigation is conducted, according to the CPD.
“The matter is being addressed in accordance with department policy and city personnel procedures,” per a prepared statement from the CPD. “The Covington Police Department remains committed to transparency, accountability, and upholding the law without exception,” per a prepared statement from the CPD. “Additional updates will be provided as appropriate.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
