MONTICELLO, Ark. — Arkansas State Police Corporal John M. Parker, 45, of Camden, resigned on August 23, following his arrest on charges of driving while intoxicated and careless driving after an on-duty crash.
The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. on August 21, when Parker, operating an ASP vehicle, was involved in a single-vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 278 near Monticello. Parker was unharmed in the crash.
According to ASP officials, standardized field sobriety tests conducted at the scene indicated impairment. Parker was taken into custody and later booked at the Drew County Detention Center.
The charges against Parker include Driving While Intoxicated/Drugs and Careless and Prohibited Driving.
Following the arrest, Parker was placed on administrative leave while both an internal investigation by the ASP Office of Professional Standards and a separate investigation by the Highway Patrol Division are underway.
Parker, who joined Arkansas State Police in 2014, officially stepped down from his position just two days after the incident.
No additional details were available as of this report. Officials stress that all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.