TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A 32-year-old sheriff’s deputy in Florida was fired after he was found “slumped over” behind the wheel in an agency-issued cruiser last month “obviously drunk” with alcohol bottles littered throughout his vehicle.
According to documents obtained by Nexstar’s WFLA, 32-year-old Christopher Greene, who had been with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office since June 2019, was found unconscious inside his marked cruiser at a Hillsborough County intersection on the evening of Dec. 18.
After stopping at a red light, he fell unconscious.
“Deputy Greene remained stationary,” documents stated. Documents show a full light cycle passed before traffic began to flow around his cruiser.
The documents stated that according to another deputy, “He was obviously drunk.”
Shortly afterward, a woman walked up to the passenger side of Greene’s cruiser and found the deputy slumped over and “asleep.” She called 911 and told the dispatcher that Greene was “passed out in his patrol car.”
Christopher Greene was found unconscious in his agency-issued cruiser last month. (Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office)
When a Hillsborough County deputy patrolling the area arrived, Greene “came to.”
“It appeared that Deputy Greene prepared to put his cruiser in drive, but realized the HCSO cruiser was blocking him. Deputy Greene exited his PCSO cruiser, and he appeared ‘normal,'” documents added.
Authorities said Greene appeared as though he wanted to drive away and was “reluctant to step out,” telling the HCSO deputy, “I’m fine.”
Documents show authorities had not even considered alcohol to be a factor in the incident and asked Greene if he had a medical condition. Greene replied that he had recently been diagnosed as diabetic. He was later transported to an area hospital for evaluation.
Authorities said they had planned to drive Greene’s cruiser back to his house, then found several alcoholic beverages inside the vehicle.
Authorities found an empty “shooter” — or mini — whiskey bottle on the passenger floorboard, as well as a paper bag containing eight mini whiskey bottles that deputies described as being “so full he couldn’t fold it closed.” There was also an open beer can in the cup holder inside a koozie.
The beer was three-quarters empty, according to the documents.
Although he was being watched by another deputy, Greene managed to leave the hospital before DUI units could question him.
He later told deputies he got a ride to his father’s house, where he continued to drink. When deputies found him and asked him to submit to a blood alcohol test, Greene failed twice, providing a 0.234 and 0.233 — nearly three times the legal limit.
Based on the evidence, Greene was fired from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office on Dec. 20. However, Greene is not currently facing criminal charges, according to an affidavit from the county sheriff.