PINELLAS PARK – Just days after being arrested for a DUI, a Pinellas Park police officer resigned from the department.
St. Petersburg police arrested Matthew Patsch, a member of the Pinellas Park Police Department for the past two years, on Oct. 11, after he rear-ended another vehicle allegedly while drunk. He was charged with driving under the influence with property damage, a misdemeanor.
“After the crash, we were immediately notified,” said Pinellas Park police Sgt. Brian Unmisig. “He was immediately placed on administrative leave with pay. He resigned on Monday, [Oct. 15], following being picked up on Thursday.”
St. Petersburg police say Patsch, who was driving a 2008 Jeep, rear-ended a Toyota Tundra when stopped at a red light at the intersection of Seventh Avenue North and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street. Police were called to the scene of the crash at about 9:45 p.m.
According to police, though Patsch denied having anything to drink, his blood-alcohol content was recorded as 0.189 and 0.192, which is more than twice the legal limit in Florida.
Police said the crash caused $500 damage to Patsch’s Jeep, and about $1,000 damage to the Toyota.
Unmisig said he didn’t have access to Patsch’s personnel file and did not know if he had a record of previous disciplinary actions.
Patsch posted $500 bail the morning after his arrest and is due back in court on Nov. 12.
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