SAN FRANCISCO – Two Bay Area Coast Guard officers are facing charges of driving under the influence of alcohol. 1 of the incidents involved an officer in full uniform going to work, according to the authorities.
Chief Petty Officer Michael Padgett was going on his job, when he was pulled over by California Highway Patrol almost one mile from the Coast Guard gate at Yerba Buena Island.
The officer said he smelled a strong odor of alcohol, which is shown in the report. “And I noticed his eyes were red and watery and his speech was slurred. As Padgett walked, I noticed he had an unsteady gait”.
Padgett had a BAC level of 0.18% according to the breath test.
Dispatching the boats and aircraft, coordinating law enforcement, along with search and rescue operations is included in the job of Padgett.
The Coast Guard said it has a strict policy on alcohol abuse, according to a statement. It was written, “Chief Padgett was temporarily removed from his duties as soon as the Coast Guard was made aware of this incident”.
Padgett told KPIX 5, I’m working, and I’m going through the criminal process and everything”.
5 days before Padgett was taken into custody, another Coast Guard was also taken into custody for driving under the influence of alcohol.
According to a Brentwood police report received by KPIX 5, Chief Petty Officer Warren Weatherford accepted that he had been drinking alcohol. His breath sample was taken for testing which showed his BAC level at 0.14 percent.
Weatherford remains on duty managing the team responsible for navigation safety of every commercial vessel moving in the San Francisco Bay region. That includes making sure that the ships don’t collide with or hit the Bay Bridge.
News Source: SanFrancisco.CBSLocal.com
