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The Daily Wildcat

The Daily Wildcat

 

Court date set for UAPD officer charged with DUI

A court date has been set for Sgt. John McGrath from the University of Arizona Police Department since he was arrested on a super-extreme DUI charge on Feb. 1.

The Tucson City Court has set a date of March 24 for McGrath.

McGrath was on duty heading west on Speedway Boulevard to Prince Farms, a university-owned property near Interstate 10 and Prince Road, when he collided with a 3-foot wall. The sergeant was driving at 76 mph on a 35 mph road when he tried to make a right turn northbound onto the freeway and was “cut off” by a van, according to the report from the Tucson Police Department.

The sergeant had a blood alcohol content of .308, according to the first Breathalyzer test, and a .317 five minutes later. The report says McGrath refused to do two of the sobriety tests: the “walk and turn” and the “one leg stand.” McGrath then agreed to take the breath test.

UAPD Lt. Rolf Averill arrived on scene and told TPD officers that UAPD would not prosecute for the vehicle damage. McGrath was driving a UAPD-owned 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe. An assessment of vehicle damages is still not available, according to Phil Barrera, UAPD public information officer.

Sgt. Chris Widmer, a public information officer with TPD, said TPD’s investigation was done the night of the incident and that the case has been passed on to Tucson City Court.

McGrath is currently on paid administrative suspension while UAPD conducts an administrative investigation.

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