A dispatcher was arrested Wednesday night after she reported to work at the Owensboro Police Department while intoxicated, according to documents obtained by the Owensboro Times.
Brandy S. Gray, 44, of Owensboro, was charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, first offense.
Jail records show Gray was booked into the Daviess County Detention Center at 1:11 a.m. Thursday and released at 9:12 a.m. Court records indicate she is scheduled to be arraigned March 20.
According to the arrest citation, officers initiated a DUI complaint at the Owensboro Police Department building at 222 East 9th Street after Central Dispatch reported that one of its employees had “possibly arrived to work while intoxicated.” Central Dispatch is located inside the OPD building.
The citation states Gray arrived late to her shift at approximately 10:04 p.m. An officer made contact with her about 30 minutes later and observed multiple signs of impairment, including slurred speech and difficulty maintaining balance, the report says.
Gray admitted to consuming “a number of alcoholic beverages throughout the day prior to coming to work”, according to the police report. She also admitted to driving herself to work “shortly before walking into Central Dispatch,” and an officer confirmed Gray’s vehicle “was warm while parked in the back parking lot of OPD,” the citation says.
Gray told officers she did not consume alcohol while driving or after arriving at the police department, according to the report.
According to the citation, Gray submitted to a preliminary breath test that indicated the presence of alcohol but refused to perform standardized field sobriety tests. A second officer also responded to the scene and observed signs of intoxication, the report says.
The report states Gray was arrested on probable cause for DUI and transported to Owensboro Health Regional Hospital for a legal blood draw. Gray reportedly declined to speak with an attorney and consented to a blood test. After declining to have the test administered by a person of her choosing, she was transported to DCDC, according to the citation.
A statement from OPD reads: “Last night, the Owensboro Police Department was notified of a possible intoxicated employee at Owensboro-Daviess County Central Dispatch. Officers conducted an investigation and developed probable cause to arrest 44-year-old Brandy Gray for DUI, 1st Offense.”
OPD declined to comment beyond that statement at this time.
The City of Owensboro told Owensboro Times via email: “The City is aware of the situation, takes public safety seriously, and is following its established procedures. However, we’re unable to comment on ongoing investigations or specific personnel issues.”
