Attorney Weighs in After Two Huntsville Police Officers Arrested for DUI
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Within a span of less than 48 hours, two Huntsville Police Department (HPD) officers were arrested and charged with DUI following separate off-duty crashes.
HPD confirmed Officer Scott Hartman was arrested early Saturday morning after a crash at Church Street and Wheeler Avenue, just blocks from police headquarters. The other driver suffered minor injuries and was hospitalized. Hartman has since been placed on administrative leave.
Sunday night, Officer George Wheeler III was also arrested and charged with DUI after crashing in a neighborhood off Bailey Cove Road.
Attorney Hunter Garnett praised HPD for handling the cases without exception. “It takes courage as a police officer to arrest one of your own colleagues,” Garnett said.
While DUI penalties vary, Garnett noted that a conviction can bring fines, license restrictions, and potential jail time. He also said prosecutors may consider harsher punishments given the officers’ law enforcement positions.
“If I was a prosecutor… I would be strongly considering a punishment that’s a little more aggressive,” Garnett told News 19, pointing to the officers’ firsthand experience responding to DUI-related tragedies. “I’m disappointed because if the allegations are true, it shows a lack of remorse.”
The arrests come just days after HPD completed its “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, which resulted in 53 DUI arrests.
HPD Chief Kirk Giles confirmed both cases are under internal investigation.
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