A Woodstock police officer was arrested in Lake County on suspicion of drunk driving after crashing his vehicle.
Officer Michael E. Niedzwiecki was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, according to documents from the Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court.
The arrest took place Feb. 11, court documents state. Charges were filed Feb. 15.
Niedzwiecki is assigned to the WPD’s patrol division, Woodstock Police Chief John Lieb said. He would not comment except to say Niedzwiecki was in a car crash and had been using “allocated benefit time” since the incident and so had not returned to duty as of Feb. 20.
Lieb would not say whether Niedzwiecki would face disciplinary action while the charges are pending.
Niedzwiecki was not in a squad car at the time of the crash, Lieb said.
In addition to DUI charges, Niedzwiecki also faces a charge of failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.
His arraignment is set for March 16.
Niedzwiecki was hired by the department March 28, 2012.