Tuskegee University police chief charged with DUI in metro Atlanta
Tuskegee University’s police chief was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after he was seen driving the wrong way, according to a Sandy Springs police report released Wednesday.
Kareem Easley was also charged with wrong-way driving, according to police. Both charges are misdemeanors. Easley was booked into the Smyrna city jail and released hours later on an undisclosed bond amount, a jail spokesperson said.
Those arrested for misdemeanor traffic violations in Sandy Springs are typically booked into the Smyrna jail. State or felony charges require transport to the Fulton County jail, according to a police spokesperson.
The arrest comes months after Alabama-based Tuskegee announced Easley, 44, as its new chief. A university spokesperson last week said Easley was “placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation.”
At 5:50 a.m. Jan. 1, a Sandy Springs officer witnessed Easley driving the wrong way in a 2026 BMW 5 Series sedan on New Northside Drive, a police report states. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution obtained the report through an open records request.
It was unclear why Easley was in metro Atlanta at the time of his arrest.
Assistant Chief Darrius Jones will take his place as the acting Tuskegee police chief, a university spokesperson said in a statement.
The statement also said the university is committed to the rule of law and will not rush to judgment. This week, Easley was still listed as the police chief on the university’s website.
Classes are scheduled to start Friday at the university.
Easley graduated from the University of Alabama with a criminal justice degree, has worked for the Birmingham Police Department and served as a police chief for Montgomery-based Trenholm Community College, according to an October news release by Tuskegee announcing his new role at the HBCU.
“I’m honored to serve this historic university,” Easley said at the time. “My top priority is to ensure that all students, faculty, staff and visitors to our campus are safe. I’m ready to go!”
About the Authors
Caleb Groves is a general assignment reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's politics team and a Kennesaw State University graduate.
