The Chattanooga Police Department has opened an internal investigation into an officer in CPD's Neighborhood Policing Bureau who is charged with DUI and other offenses.
CPD Internal Affairs opened its investigation after CPD's Traffic Investigators responded to a two-vehicle crash where it was determined through interviews and investigation that the officer was the at-fault driver in the crash that occurred in the 2000 block of Shepherd Road at approximately 8:41 p.m. on Thursday.
The officer was not on duty nor in his patrol vehicle at the time of the crash.
CPD placed Officer Jeremy Yates on administrative leave on Friday. He will remain on administrative leave until a final disposition in the Internal Affairs investigation is reached. The CPD Internal Affairs investigation is separate from the traffic investigation.
Police said Officer Yate was driving a Chevrolet east on Shepherd Road when he struck the rear of a Saturn that was stopped at a traffic light. Both drivers were transported to the hospital due to their injuries.
Police said they found an opened "clubtail" alcoholic beverage in the floorboard of the officer's car along with two firearms.
The officer is charged with DUI, following too close, and possession of a weapon while under the influence.
The investigating officer said Officer Yates had slurred speech from a severely lacerated tongue. There was a strong odor of an intoxicant coming from his person and his eyes were glassy and red. He said he did not know what had happened or where he came from or was going.
Paramedics and Erlanger personnel said he advised them he had consumed alcohol on this date.
Officer Yates was hired in July 2016.
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund named Officer Yates as the recipient of its Officer of the Month Award for June 2019.
Officer Yates responded to a call about a man in a convenience store parking lot. When he arrived, he noticed a barefoot man using two pieces of cardboard to keep his feet from burning on the hot pavement. He asked the man’s shoe size, went to a nearby store and bought the man a pair of shoes. A person pumping gas nearby saw what happened and posted it on social media.