Mountlake Terrace police commander Don Duncan has been fired after he was arrested for a DUI this January, reports the Herald Net. The 50-year-old Duncan was an 18-year veteran of the police force and had reportedly tried to talk his way out of the DUI with the Washington State Patrol. He even accused the arresting trooper of being untruthful and of making a huge mistake by arresting him, to no avail.

Duncan was on duty the night of his arrest and the city's termination letter cited his "complete absence of judgment” and his poor reflection on the police department to support its decision to terminate.

The DUI arrest happened at about one in the morning on January 31st, when Duncan was driving home from the Tulalip Resort Casino. As he drove, a trooper spotted Duncan crossing the center line and not having his headlights on. Duncan submitted to a field sobriety test, but refused a breath alcohol test. The arresting officer and a prosecutor present for a ride-along both stated that Duncan appeared intoxicated.

Two hours after the arrest, Duncan took a breath test and registered a .055 and .058 -- both below the legal limit of 0.08. Duncan was charged with criminal penalties anyway.

Along with the criminal charges, Duncan also faced separate administrative penalties from the police department. He was placed on leave pending an internal investigation. Ultimately, the internal investigation found that Duncan violated policies related to on-duty and off-duty conduct.

Contact a King County DUI Attorney

You should know that a DUI charge can lead to much more than criminal penalties. As you see with the case of former police commander Don Duncan, you could potentially lose your job and face other administrative penalties.

It is very important to defend yourself against a DUI charge. To learn more about the penalties you face and options for your defense, contact Cowan Kirk Gaston Wolff at 1-866-822-1230.