HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A former police officer who was charged with driving under the influence will now only have to pay court costs, as ruled by a judge in Jackson County.
The accused, Mercedes Rugart of Rainsville, surrendered herself to the Jackson County Jail in early January after the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) issued a DUI charge against her. The incident took place in July 2022 when Rugart was on her way to work at the Rainsville Police Department.
Her patrol vehicle went off the road and crashed into a culvert, a utility pole and overturned. The defence attorneys representing Rugart filed a motion to have the case dismissed. During the bench trial hearing on Friday, Judge Don Word heard the arguments of both sides.
The defence attorneys contended that the investigators had no evidence to prove that Rugart was under the influence of any substance during the crash. After hearing the arguments, Judge Word agreed with the defence and dismissed the case, ordering Rugart only to pay the court costs.
Rugart’s attorney stated that since the accident, she has been struggling to find employment. It is unclear whether Rugart will be offered her job back at the Rainsville Police Department. WAFF 48 News reached out to the department for comment, but they have not responded yet.
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