On Friday, July 31, 2015, Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Major Crash Investigation Unit arrested Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer Richard Andringa and charged him with Driving While Impaired and Operating a Law Enforcement Vehicle After Consuming Alcohol.

At approximately 9:00 a.m., Officer Andringa was responding to a report of a traffic collision on Orr Road.  He was in uniform and traveling in a marked CMPD cruiser when he struck the wheel of a truck in the 5600 block of North Tryon Street. There was no damage to the truck, minor damage to the CMPD cruiser and no injuries to anyone involved in the collision.

A CMPD supervisor was dispatched to the area of the incident, which is standard procedure whenever a CMPD vehicle is involved in a collision. CMPD protocol states that on-duty officers involved in motor vehicle collisions are required to submit to an alcohol and drug assessment.

The assessment revealed that Officer Andringa was legally impaired at the time of the collision. The investigation revealed that he had a blood alcohol content of .09  He was subsequently arrested and charged.

Richard Andringa was hired by the CMPD on 11/30/1988, and assigned to patrol in the North Tryon Division.  He’s been placed on administrative leave without pay and is the subject of a criminal and internal investigation.