South Salt Lake police officer Michael Starley Hatch was arrested after a supervisor suspected he was drunk while sitting in a patrol vehicle on duty. The 60-year-old, listed in charging documents as an officer trainee, allegedly blew a 0.075% blood-alcohol concentration on a department test, above Utah’s 0.05% legal limit. He now faces counts of driving under the influence and carrying a dangerous weapon while under the influence, and was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail. To avoid a conflict of interest, the Utah Highway Patrol took over the investigation from the local department.
What the arrest report says
According to FOX 13 News, a field training officer reported smelling alcohol on Hatch’s breath while he was in the patrol car. That triggered a supervisor to bring him back to the station and order breath tests for everyone on duty. Hatch was the only one who tested positive.
A Utah Highway Patrol trooper wrote that Hatch’s eyes were “glossy and extremely bloodshot” and that he smelled of alcohol. Hatch told the trooper he had drunk a pint of tequila at about 11 p.m. the night before. During field sobriety tests, he allegedly showed signs that he was incapable of safely operating a vehicle and was arrested on Sunday.
State law and the weapon charge
Utah’s per se blood-alcohol limit is 0.05%, so a 0.075% reading crosses the line for DUI under state law. As FindLaw notes, the lower limit means Utah drivers can face DUI charges at lower levels of drinking than in most other states. The weapon allegation is based on Utah Code §76-10-528, which makes it unlawful to carry a dangerous weapon while under the influence and is typically charged as a class B misdemeanor under Utah law.
Officer background and department response
Hatch previously spent more than 20 years with the Salt Lake City Police Department and had risen to the rank of captain before his position was eliminated in 2024, according to FOX 13 News. The arrest report says South Salt Lake police supervisors ordered department-wide breath testing and requested the Utah Highway Patrol’s involvement to avoid any appearance of partiality.
In a statement to the outlet, the South Salt Lake Police Department said Hatch is no longer employed by the agency.
What comes next
Hatch has been charged and booked, and his case will move through Salt Lake County courts, where he will face arraignment and potentially pretrial hearings. If convicted, penalties for DUI and carrying a weapon while impaired can include fines, probation, jail time, and suspension of his driver’s license under state law. Additional details about the case are expected to come through future court records or agency statements as the proceedings continue.
