Smithfield Police Sergeant James Tragessor has been charged with driving under the influence.
The sergeant is scheduled to appear on at Isle of Wight General District Court on May 21, and according to police captain Alonzo Howell, he has been placed on administrative leave.
According to reports, Tragessor was driving his own vehicle on U.S. Highway 32 when he ran off the road and collided with a road sign. He refused to submit to a Breathalyzer test and it was determined that he was driving under the influence.
In 2003, Tragessor was honored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving’s Southeastern branch for his significant number of DUI arrests that year.
