Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said Wednesday that they arrested Officer Peter Lombardo, 38, for driving while impaired..
Lombardo was off-duty at the time, in plain clothes and in his take-home police vehicle, the department said.
He was found on Interstate 277 near 12th Street at about 4 a.m., when an officer noticed Lombardo's police car stopped in a grassy area. The officer gave Lombardo a breathalyzer test.
His blood alcohol content was 0.17, Police Chief Johnny Jennings said, more than double the legal limit in North Carolina of 0.08.
Lombardo was taken to jail, and police said he will be charged with a misdemeanor for driving while impaired.
Lombardo joined CMPD in 2008. He is an officer in the Eastway Division and a member of the Special Weapons and Tactical force.
At a press conference, Jennings said CMPD officers need to uphold high standards to maintain public trust.
"We cannot tolerate an officer who decides to drink alcohol to the point of intoxication and get in not only any vehicle but get into a CMPD marked police vehicle.
"That is absolutely and totally unacceptable, and it won't be tolerated within our agency. I do wish Officer Lombardo the best, that he is able to get help," Jennings said.
Per the department's DWI policy, Lombardo will automatically be placed on unpaid leave. A decision on his termination will be determined later by CMPD’s civil service board.