By Associated Press - Friday, April 1, 2016

BRYANT, Ark. (AP) - A Saline County sheriff’s detective has been placed on administrative leave after crashing a sheriff’s office vehicle into a tree.

A Bryant Police Department report says officers responded to a single-vehicle collision involving detective Chris Maher about 10 p.m. Thursday. Police say Maher claimed he had struck a tree and was returning to find the accident site when he got the vehicle stuck in a ditch.

Maher was given a test which showed no alcohol on his breath. Bryant officers say Maher failed several portions of a field sobriety test and mentioned being on several prescription medications.

Maher gave a urine sample for a drug test that had not been returned as of late Friday.

Officers charged Maher with preliminary offenses of driving while impaired and careless and prohibited driving.

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