07-28-2008, 11:19 AM
A longtime Coconut Creek police sergeant was arrested Tuesday on a charge of driving under the influence.
Sgt. Stephen Guenther, 59, was arrested on the misdemeanor DUI charge in his Margate driveway. He is free on $500 bond and was back at work Thursday. His driver's license was suspended for refusing a sobriety check, according to state driving records.
Guenther is a 26-year veteran who supervises records and dispatch, said Tony Avello, spokesman for the department. Avello said that Guenther remains on duty pending the outcome of the criminal case. He said the sergeant doesn't drive an agency vehicle.
"This was an incident that occurred off-duty in another jurisdiction. It was a misdemeanor arrest," Avello said. "We are waiting for due process before we make any decisions internally."
Guenther could not be reached for comment Thursday and it was unclear if he had an attorney. According to personnel records, the department has not launched an internal investigation of Guenther in his 26 years, and he has received 25 letters of commendation in that time.
According to the Margate arrest report, a police officer was flagged down Tuesday in the 1000 block of Northwest 68th Terrace by someone who saw a man sleeping in a car in the neighborhood. The officer found a running SUV with a man leaning forward in the driver's seat, according to an arrest report. The officer wrote that he banged on the man's window three times before he awoke.
Under Florida law, a person doesn't have to be driving to be arrested on a DUI charge, but must be in "actual physical control" of a vehicle.
Sgt. Stephen Guenther, 59, was arrested on the misdemeanor DUI charge in his Margate driveway. He is free on $500 bond and was back at work Thursday. His driver's license was suspended for refusing a sobriety check, according to state driving records.
Guenther is a 26-year veteran who supervises records and dispatch, said Tony Avello, spokesman for the department. Avello said that Guenther remains on duty pending the outcome of the criminal case. He said the sergeant doesn't drive an agency vehicle.
"This was an incident that occurred off-duty in another jurisdiction. It was a misdemeanor arrest," Avello said. "We are waiting for due process before we make any decisions internally."
Guenther could not be reached for comment Thursday and it was unclear if he had an attorney. According to personnel records, the department has not launched an internal investigation of Guenther in his 26 years, and he has received 25 letters of commendation in that time.
According to the Margate arrest report, a police officer was flagged down Tuesday in the 1000 block of Northwest 68th Terrace by someone who saw a man sleeping in a car in the neighborhood. The officer found a running SUV with a man leaning forward in the driver's seat, according to an arrest report. The officer wrote that he banged on the man's window three times before he awoke.
Under Florida law, a person doesn't have to be driving to be arrested on a DUI charge, but must be in "actual physical control" of a vehicle.