Officers demoted for "mishandling" fatal crash investigation

OFF THE WIRE
Officers demoted for "mishandling" fatal crash involving a drunk police officer
Updated: Sunday, 22 Aug 2010, 7:17 PM EDT
Published : Sunday, 22 Aug 2010, 7:17 PM EDT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Indianapolis police chief has demoted his second-in-command and two other officials, saying they mishandled how they dealt with an officer's involvement in a motorcyclist's crash death earlier this month.

Chief Paul Ciesielski announced the actions Saturday at a news conference with Mayor Greg Ballard and Public Safety Director Frank Straub.

"Members of my leadership team failed me, my department and the public," Ciesielski said.

Straub said the demotions "are about failed leadership at the scene. They didn't take command and manage the scene properly."

The three demoted were Assistant Chief Darryl Pierce, Deputy Chief Ron Hicks and Homeland Security Commander John Conley. They will now hold the rank of lieutenant.

The Indianapolis Star reported that none of the demoted officials attended the news conference. The newspaper couldn't reach them for comment.

None has a listed phone number.

Pierce, Hicks and Conley all went to the scene of the Aug. 6 crash, but failed to take control of the investigation, Ciesielski said.

Police have said Officer David Bisard was driving at a high speed Aug. 6 as he headed to help serve a felony warrant. His cruiser crashed into two motorcycles that were stopped at an Indianapolis intersection.

Motorcyclist Eric Wells, 30, was killed. The other motorcycle's driver, Kurt Weekly, 44, and his passenger, Mary Mills, 47, were both seriously injured.

A test showed Bisard's blood-alcohol level was 0.19 percent, more than twice the level at which a driver in Indiana is considered intoxicated. But Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi dropped drunken driving charges Thursday, saying the person who administered the test lacked the needed certification.

Bisard still faces a charge of reckless homicide and two other felonies.