By Ken Daley, NOLA.com | The
Times-Picayune
A New Orleans police officer
was placed on emergency suspension without pay and booked with two felony
charges of domestic violence after police said she tried to run down a man with
her car early Sunday morning in the Esplanade Ridge neighborhood of the Seventh
Ward.
Stephanie Caldwell, a 10-year
veteran NOPD officer assigned to the department's Special Operations Division
tactical unit, was booked with one count each of domestic abuse aggravated
assault and domestic abuse battery.
Police said Caldwell, 33,
argued with a 47-year-old man around 3:30 a.m. Sunday in the 1700 block of
North Broad Street, and attempted to strike the man with her car, a silver 2000
Jaguar.
Police said the man fled on
foot westbound down Broad Street as Caldwell pursued in her car, driving
against traffic on North Broad and Onzaga streets before hitting a parked car.
Investigators said Caldwell continued her pursuit onto Rousselin Drive until
she lost control turning the wrong direction onto Lapeyrouse Street. It was at
that intersection that she drove head-on into a wooden power pole, cracking it
nearly in half and disabling her car, police and witnesses said.
Police said that after Caldwell
underwent alcohol and drug testing and received medical clearance, she was
arrested and booked by the NOPD's Public Integrity Bureau.
The man was not injured and
refused medical treatment, police said. NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune does not
identify victims in domestic violence cases.
"I heard a loud crash, and
when I looked out my window, the police were out there already," said Carl
Mutin, a nearby resident of Lapeyrouse Street. "As soon as I heard the
boom, it seemed like there were flashing lights at the corner right away."
The NOPD did not say whether
officers already were in pursuit of Caldwell when the crash occurred. One
witness who did not wish to be named provided a photo of the crash scene
showing the Jaguar's driver's side air bag had deployed on impact.
"Almost immediately, it
seemed like there were at least half a dozen cops there," the witness
said.
Another neighbor, Penny Irving,
said she noticed two NOPD officers standing watch over the wrecked car until
the vehicle was towed away Sunday afternoon. The damaged utility pole already
had been replaced by midday on Monday.
A press release issued by the
NOPD said Caldwell also was booked with reckless operation of a vehicle,
hit-and-run, and driving against traffic. However, those additional charges did
not appear on her court record Monday morning.
Caldwell's bond was set Monday
at $2,000. As part of her bond obligation, she had to sign a protective order
ensuring that she has no contact with the man involved in the incident. The
next hearing in her case is scheduled for Sept. 24 before Criminal District
Court Judge Julian Parker.
Caldwell is the third NOPD
officer booked in the past 2 1/2 weeks in connection with violence against
someone in a personal relationship.
Detective Robert Hurst was
booked July 11 with simple battery -- after initially being charged with
attempted murder -- in connection with an argument last December with a woman
he did not co-habitate with. That relationship did not meet the state's
requirements for a domestic violence charge, Orleans Parish District Attorney
Leon Cannizzaro said.
Hurst pleaded not guilty and is
free after posting a $5,000 bond. He is scheduled for an Aug. 27 judge trial
before Criminal District Court Judge Keva Landrum-Johnson.
A second SWAT team member, NOPD
Officer Christopher Carter, was suspended July 14 in connection with a domestic
violence complaint lodged in January. Carter was charged with domestic abuse
battery and domestic abuse battery involving strangulation in a bill of
information filed by the DA's office.
Carter pleaded not guilty and
is free after posting a $32,500 bond, court records show. His next hearing is
set for Aug. 28 before Landrum-Johnson.
Both Hurst and Carter were
placed on emergency suspension without pay by the NOPD.
