Officer under investigation to retire after 22-year career

A high-ranking Metro Police officer whose blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit when he was arrested last month will retire effective Jan. 2, police officials said.

Cmdr. Charles Davidaitis, 53, told Sheriff Jerry Keller days after his Nov. 26 arrest he would retire from Metro, ending his 22-year career with the department.

An internal affairs investigation most likely will not be completed by the time Davidaitis retires, meaning he will not face any punishment from the department, Undersheriff Richard Winget said.

Davidaitis is accused of smashing his 1999 Toyota Landcruiser into a light pole, a fire hydrant and a length of chain-link fence about 3 p.m. Nov. 26 on Annie Oakley Drive, then driving down the street to his house, the report said.

Davidaitis also tried to persuade his wife to take the blame for the accident, threatened to harm himself before police came to his house and made a hasty plan to flee to the airport, according to the report.

Two breath tests on Davidaitis recorded levels of 0.214 and 0.215, the arrest report says. Drivers are considered driving under the influence with a 0.10 blood-alcohol level.

Davidaitis was relieved of duty the day of his arrest and is on administrative leave with pay.

archive