Coconut Creek officer accused of DUI after witness saw him asleep at wheel

A Coconut Creek Police officer was arrested recently in Palm Beach County, accused of driving under the influence after another driver saw him asleep behind the wheel at a traffic light.

Laurence Christopher, 58, is facing one DUI-related misdemeanor charge, court records show.

Sgt. Scotty Leamon, a spokesperson for the police department, confirmed that Christopher is a Coconut Creek Police officer. Leamon did not immediately know Wednesday evening how long Christopher has been with the department or if he has been assigned to administrative duties since his arrest March 15.

Christopher, driving a Ford truck, was stopped at a green light in the area of Lantana Road and South State Road 7 shortly before 2 a.m. that Friday when a witness noticed he was asleep while moving to go around the truck, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The witness told deputies he got out of his car and knocked on the truck window, and the driver “appeared lost” when he awoke, the affidavit said. He knocked several times on the window to wake up Christopher. The witness asked Christopher if he was having a medical emergency, and Christopher said he was not, according to the affidavit.

A passenger in the witness’s car called 911, and the witness told deputies Christopher fled in his truck when he heard the passenger calling 911. The witness followed Christopher as he allegedly sped north and drove “all over the place,” nearly hitting a median, according to the affidavit.

The witness recorded a video of the erratic driving and showed it to the deputy who pulled Christopher over, which was recorded on body-worn camera footage, according to the affidavit.

Christopher was the only person in the truck when the deputy pulled him over after observing him drifting from one lane toward a center median in the area of North State Road 7 and Southern Boulevard in Royal Palm Beach, the affidavit said.

He told the deputy he was “good” when asked if he was OK. The deputy noted he had glossy eyes and smelled alcohol coming from him and his breath and requested back-up, the affidavit said.

The second deputy who arrived also noted the smell of alcohol, red and glossy eyes and slurred speech, according to the affidavit. Christopher allegedly swayed as he talked to the deputy and staggered while walking to the deputy’s patrol car.

Christopher said he was on his way home and could have someone pick him up, the affidavit said. He refused to participate in roadside sobriety tasks and he refused to submit a breath test to determine his blood-alcohol content. He also told the deputy he did not have any medical conditions and was not taking any medication.

If a driver refuses to submit a breath or urine test, his or her driving privileges can be suspended for a year for a first offense or 18 months for a subsequent offense, according to the affidavit.

Christopher was released after posting bail, court records show. Leamon said Christopher was off-duty when he was pulled over.

Christopher’s defense attorney did not return an email seeking comment Wednesday after business hours.