MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — The Martin County Sheriff’s Office has closed an internal investigation that determined one of its sergeants was intoxicated on duty when he crashed his patrol car into a tree.
The crash happened Feb. 23 on the 1900 block of Southwest Kanner Road at around 10:25 a.m. When deputies got to the scene, they said, Sgt. James Foster Jr. told them he blacked out before the crash.
According to an investigative report, Foster suffered "damage to his right knee" and finger, while the patrol car "sustained major damage" and had to be towed, because it was considered "inoperable."
Foster was taken to the hospital and remained there for two days. Initially, the cause of the crash was due to a possible medical condition. However, after Foster filed a worker's compensation claim to cover medical bills, the report showed worker's comp contacted the sheriff's office and told them Foster's blood alcohol content measured .133, which is over the legal limit of 0.08 to drive a car.
According to the report, Martin County Sheriff William Snyder then ordered an internal investigation and Foster resigned days later on March 23. Foster told investigators he drank the night before and was working to drink less.
The sheriff's office consulted with the state attorney's office and collectively and mutually decided if charges were filed, they would not lead to a successful conviction.
Some factors included that the blood draw was a medical draw and not a criminal draw, and law enforcement at the scene did not notice any signs of impairment.