Former Cal State Fullerton officer charged with DUI on duty
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A former officer with the Cal State Fullerton Police Department was charged Thursday with driving under the influence while on duty in a patrol car, officials said.
Other officers noticed that Thomas Henry Higgs, 59, was showing signs of intoxication during a May 7 police briefing and notified their command staff, according to the Orange County district attorney’s office.
An investigation revealed that Higgs was driving a marked patrol car around the campus with a blood-alcohol level of 0.09%, which is above the legal limit. He retired from the department that month, said Paula Selleck, a university spokeswoman.
He was charged Tuesday with one misdemeanor count each of driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08% or higher, prosecutors said.
If convicted, he faces up to six months in county jail. He is due in court in August for arraignment.
Twitter: @AleneTchek
UPDATES:
July 6, 11:10 a.m.: This article was updated to note that Higgs retired from the department in May.
This article was originally published on July 5 at 10:55 p.m.
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