A Hialeah Police lieutenant is facing DUI charges after an alleged drunken crash early Tuesday.
Erik Martin, 45, was arrested on charges including DUI and DUI with damage to property or person, an arrest report said.
According to the report, the crash happened around 6:05 a.m. near Northwest 72nd Avenue and Northwest 47th Street and involved a Waste Management truck.
Miami-Dade Corrections
Miami-Dade Corrections
Erik Martin
Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the scene and found Martin was “unsteady on his feet, with bloodshot watery eyes and slurred speech” and an odor of alcohol on his breath, the report said.
Martin was being “belligerent” with deputies so he was placed in handcuffs before he was taken to Jackson West Medical Center, the report said.
An investigator asked Martin if he knew what was going on and if he was involved in an accident but Martin responded “I don’t know” to any questions he was asked, the report said.
Martin refused to perform field sobriety exercises and refused to provide a blood sample before he was booked into jail, the report said.
Records show Martin is a lieutenant with Hialeah Police and a Marine Corps veteran.
In a statement, Hialeah Police said the incident happened while Martin, who has been with the department since 2006, was off-duty.
Martin has been placed on administrative leave while the criminal and internal investigations are completed, the statement added.
“While we remain committed to the principle of due process, the allegations surrounding this arrest are deeply disappointing. Such incidents tarnish the badge and distracts from the tireless work of the men and women who serve this community with integrity every day,” Hialeah Police Chief George Fuente said in a statement. “We do not condone this behavior; however, we recognize that our officers are human. As an agency, we will ensure our Lieutenant receives any necessary assistance and/or resources, while we navigate the legal and disciplinary processes ahead.”