By Ken Daley
A New Orleans police officer
was placed on emergency suspension without pay Tuesday, following a weekend
arrest in which he was accused of driving while intoxicated on the Causeway
Bridge.
David Aranda, 26, became the
fifth NOPD officer in the last 26 days to be suspended by the department while
facing criminal allegations.
The NOPD said Aranda was
arrested around 9 p.m. Saturday (Aug. 2) after Causeway Police spotted him
driving erratically in his personal vehicle. They said Aranda was traveling
northbound on the Causeway Bridge in St. Tammany Parish.
Causeway Police said they
stopped Aranda, detected alcohol on his breath, and conducted a standard field
sobriety test, which they said he failed. Aranda was arrested and booked with
driving while intoxicated.
Aranda most recently was
assigned to the NOPD's 1st District, which polices Treme and Mid-City.
Since July 11, four other NOPD
officers have been placed on emergency suspension.
Officer Willie Gant, 57, was
arrested July 29, booked with two counts each of sexual battery on a juvenile
and indecent behavior with a juvenile after allegedly fondling a 12-year-old
relative visiting his home on two occasions.
Tactical Officer Stephanie
Caldwell was arrested July 27, booked with two felony charges of domestic
violence after being accused of trying to run down a man with her car before
crashing her personal car into a utility pole in the 7th Ward.
On July 14, fellow SWAT Officer
Christopher Carter was suspended and booked with domestic abuse battery and
domestic abuse battery involving strangulation.
Three days earlier, Detective
Robert Hurst was booked with simple battery and attempted murder following an
argument with his former girlfriend. Prosecutors later dropped an attempted
murder charge in that case.
Carter and Hurst have pleaded
not guilty to the charges against them.
