Officer Charged With DUI While On Duty

2:23 p.m. EST March 5, 2007

HOWARD COUNTY, Md. - The Howard County Police Department arrested a Howard County police officer over the weekend and charged him with driving under the influence of alcohol. Officer Tyronne Cole Jr.’s police powers have been suspended and he has been assigned to administrative duties, officials said.

Police said Cole reported to work around 11 p.m. on March 3 at the southern district station in his personal car, entered a marked police vehicle and then struck an unoccupied police trailer in the parking lot.

The impact caused a chain reaction that resulted in damage to multiple unoccupied vehicles on the lot, police said. No one was injured.

After an investigation, Cole was charged with DUI. Police said he will have no law enforcement authority while a criminal case against him proceeds.

Cole, 25, has been a member of the police department since 2004.