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Salt Lake City police officer placed on leave after arrest for DUI, hitting man with truck

Posted at 1:10 PM, Jan 02, 2023
and last updated 2023-01-02 20:52:34-05

SALT LAKE CITY — An officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department was placed on administrative leave after he was arrested Friday for allegedly driving under the influence and injuring another driver with his vehicle.

Thomas Caygle, 37, now faces charges including driving under the influence and negligently operating a vehicle resulting in injury.

Arresting documents detail Caygle was driving his truck in Weber County when he caused a minor crash.

Officials with the Salt Lake City Police Department clarified that at the time of the arrest, Caygle was off-duty and driving a personal vehicle.

After the crash, Caygle and the other driver pulled off the road and began to argue, documents state. At some point during the argument, Caygle allegedly got into his truck and drove into the rear of the second car, pinning the other driver's legs between the back of his own car and the front of the officer's truck.

"[Caygle] would not reverse to release the person pinned between the cars," a probable cause statement reads in part.

The other man was taken to the hospital, but the extent of his injuries was not made immediately available.

He spoke with FOX 13 News Monday and posted footage of the full incident as seen on his windshield-mounted cameras below:

Caygle admitted to consuming alcohol before the crash, documents state, and he was placed under arrest after failing sobriety tests by officers.

Following the arrest, SLCPD put Caygle on administrative leave and opened an investigation, officials said in a statement to FOX 13 News.

"Our community expects the very best of its police officers at all times, including when off-duty and on personal time," said SLCPD Chief Mike Brown in a statement. "We strive to exceed those expectations every day. In reviewing the information and materials I’ve received so far, I am concerned and disappointed by this incident, which does not align with our core values and expectations. Following the conclusion of our internal investigation, any violation of department policy will result in prompt and full accountability.”

VIDEO BELOW: Man hit by off-duty cop speaks with FOX 13 News reporter Spencer Joseph

Extended interview: Man who was rear-ended then hit by off-duty SLCPD officer