Atlanta police officer 'relieved of duty," charged with DUI after crashing police vehicle

ATLANTA - An Atlanta police officer charged with DUI after crashing his police SUV while off-duty has been "relieved of duty."

APD Officer Carlos Thomas, 35, was arrested on August 26.

The incident happened around 5:30 p.m. when state troopers responded to a report of a single-vehicle crash along SR 166 in southwest Atlanta.

According to a police report, Thomas' car was heading west on SR 166 while attempting to negotiate a right curve when it ran off the roadway on the left, struck a guardrail, and spun around. Thomas was identified as the driver of the crashed police explorer when authorities arrived at the scene.

The responding trooper noted that Thomas refused to comply with a field sobriety test and declined to take a breathalyzer. He also stated that Thomas "appeared confused."

"I asked Mr. Thomas where he was coming from, to which he said he didn’t know," the trooper wrote in his report. "I then asked him where he was going to which he stated he thought he was going to pick up his child."

Thomas declined to answer troopers when asked how many alcoholic beverages he had consumed.

"He stated that he was going through some stuff," the trooper stated in his report.

When asked to take a breathalyzer, investigators say Thomas became agitated.

"If you are going to take me to jail, take me to jail," he told the trooper. "I will let my attorney deal with all that."

Thomas was eventually taken to a local hospital, where he was treated for minor injuries.

In a statement, Atlanta Police said Thomas, a seven year veteran of the Atlanta Police Department and member of the Atlanta Proactive Enforcement & Interdiction (APEX) squad, had been relieved of duty. An emergency hearing with the chief had also been scheduled.