An off-duty St Joseph police officer is accused of DWI and leaving the scene of an accident in the Midtown area Monday morning.

Captain Matt Rock said Officer Shannon Hailey was arrested after allegedly being involved in a hit and run accident near Ashland Ave and Gene Field.

Hailey was arrested for driving under the influence of an intoxicant, prescription sleep medication. Rock says his blood alcohol level was .000%.

 

Officer Hailey was charged under municipal violations (DWI, Careless driving, and leaving the scene of an accident) and has been placed on administrative assignment pending review of the incident.

He has been with the agency for 20 months.

Officers were dispatched to an area on Ashland Avenue, where a caller advised a Jeep Wrangler was driving erratically after hitting a tree. The caller followed the vehicle after the accident, which did not involve any injuries.

When officers caught up with the vehicle in the 4300 block of Miller Road, they recognized the driver as an off-duty St Joseph Police Officer, who appeared to be confused and disoriented.

Captain Rock says the responding officers were advised by Hailey that he had taken a prescription medication earlier in the morning.