In a recent turn of events, an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department sergeant found himself on the wrong side of the law, yet again, amid ongoing suspension and pending termination from previous run-ins with drunk driving. On Thursday night, Sergeant Peter Fekkes was arrested in Hendricks County for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, and this time, the Hendricks County Sheriff's Office deputies reported a blood alcohol level more than triple the legal limit.
According to WTHR, Fekkes, who was already sidelined by the department pending a recommendation for termination related to a 2022 incident in Ohio, was caught by a Hendricks County Deputy after veering left of the center lane and during the stop, law enforcement allegedly discovered an open bottle of vodka in the vehicle, moreover, Fekkes was reportedly consuming Taco Bell when he crossed the traffic line.
The arrest occurred around 11 p.m. when Fekkes was maneuvering a 2021 Ford Mustang along Raceway Road and US Highway 36, as stated in the probable cause document acquired by Fox59. At the scene, Fekkes refused to take both field sobriety and alcohol breath tests leading to the necessity of a blood draw that exposed his high level of intoxication, enough so that the arresting deputy decided to take Fekkes to the hospital before booking him into jail.
The series of charges brought against Sgt. Fekkes not only underline a personal struggle with alcohol but showcase a disturbing pattern within an individual who, until recently, bore the responsibility of upholding the law, history is repeating itself as Fekkes had pleaded guilty to a drunk driving charge in March 2023 after the Ohio incident and had been placed on a year's unsupervised probation alongside a fine. However, during his latest altercation with the law, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has stressed that Fekkes was stripped of his police authority and did not possess police powers at the time of his latest arrest, this was affirmed in a statement by WISH-TV.
Fekkes is currently being held in the Hendricks County Jail without bond, and the July 25 incident remains under investigation by the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office, as per the IMPD. This most recent development certainly raises questions about the procedures in place for monitoring the conduct of those who've faced disciplinary action in the past and what steps need to be taken to prevent repeat offenses within law enforcement ranks.
