PBC fire captain on leave after arrest
A Palm Beach County fire captain is captured on video using the floor of a holding cell as a bathroom and falling off a bench following his arrest for refusing to submit to a blood alcohol test in Boynton Beach.
A spokesman for Palm Beach County Fire Rescue told CBS12 50-year-old A.J. O'Laughlin is on extended sick leave as theresult of his arrest.
According to a report from Boynton Beach Police, an officer pulled him over on Nov. 9 along South Federal Highway. Police received a call about a reckless driver along North Federal Highway and Boynton Beach Boulevard. A witness told police the driver of a Ford F-250 pickup truck cut in front of vehicles, ran a red light and nearly hit a light pole.
The first officer to respond spotted the pickup truck making a U-turn in the middle of SouthFederal Highway. The officer pulled over the truck and said the driver smelled of alcohol, according to the report.
The police report indicated O'Laughlin had slurred speech and glossy eyes andwhenhe got out of his pickup truck he swayed from side to side, and wasn't wearing any shoes. The officer arrested him when he refused to do a series of Standardized Field Sobriety Tasks. The officer said O'Laughlin hurled profanities at the arresting officers and insisted on being arrested.
Police recovered an open Bud Light beer container from the truck, along with four white pill capsules, according to the report.
Police took O'Laughlin to the Boynton Beach Police Department for processing where authorities say he continued to refuse to do a breath test.
Inside a holding cell, authorities said he cursed at officers. Video released by Boynton Beach Police shows O'Laughlin standing to use a toilet in the corner. He then urinated on the floor before laying downon a bench. The video showed him rolling off the bench and hitting his head. Medic units responded to treat the bleeding head injury, according to police.
Police took O'Laughlin to BethesdaMemorialHospital for further treatment.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue says O'Laughlin is collecting a paycheck during his extended sick leave. He makes $138,253.22 a year. Heworks as a floating captain in Battalion Three, said spokesmanAlbert Borroto.