A Greene County Sheriff's lieutenant is under disciplinary review for not pulling over a suspected drunk driver soon enough. At issue, whether the officer was more focused on getting home than protecting the public.

A viewer called KSPR concerned that Lt. Blaine Kennard put off pulling over a drunk driver because his shift was over.

On Friday May 2nd around 10:40 p.m. Lieutenant Blaine Kennard was driving his patrol car home from a long day of work when he called dispatch. The radio traffic between Kennard and a dispatcher you can hear the lieutenant say, “Do I have any officers in the area.”

Greene County Sheriff Jack Merritt says calling for back up is routine but some question what the lieutenant said next. Over the radio Lt. Kennard says, “I've got a possible 10-55 I'm following. I'm heading to the residence so I'm going to go ahead and follow it." A 10-55 is code for a drunk driver. Kennard decided to follow, waiting for back up rather than pulling the driver over. Sheriff Merritt says, "It's not uncommon to follow to develop your case."

The Recording and report show by the time Kennard called dispatch; he had already seen plenty of proof. Over the radio Lt. Kennard says, “If it gets much worse, I'm going to have to stop." In his report Kennard wrote that a 19-year-old female driver swerved into the median and hit a traffic post the moment he spotted her. He also notes she was weaving in and out of traffic lanes, crossing the fog line, speeding more than 15 miles over the limit and nearly hit a car.

Other deputies ask if they need to hurry over the radio while the lieutenant continues to follow the car until the driver hit another car at a stoplight. The car crash happened 15 city blocks after Lt. Kennard first saw signs of recklessness.

KSPR asked if stopping the driver right away could have prevented the crash down the road. Sheriff Merritt says, “True but if he would have lit up right then how do you know a chase wouldn't have created more danger?" In his report, Kennard says he didn't pull the driver over sooner because of light traffic and the possibility of a chase. Again over the radio Kennard said, "I'm headed to the residence so I'm going to go ahead and follow." Merritt says, "He wanted to get someone on duty to deal with it." Kennard and other officers were now dealing with a wreck and a car leaving the scene of an accident.

The driver eventually stops and is booked for driving with a blood alcohol content of .220 which is more than twice the legal limit. Sheriff Merritt says, "He could have just as easily saw that vehicle and turned the other way." Merritt says his officer did the right thing even though Merritt put Kennard under disciplinary review. Merritt says, "My confidence isn't lessened in him because of this."

Merritt says in a career full of split second decisions it’s normal for someone to second guess your work. A disciplinary review board is taking a second look at Kennard's actions that night. As for what if any punishment, the Sheriff says it's a personnel matter he can't discuss.