A crime scene investigator with South Fulton police was fired Tuesday after she allegedly crashed her department vehicle while under the influence early on New Year’s Day, according to authorities.
Najiyah McKinney faces multiple charges, including DUI, reckless driving and failure to maintain lane, South Fulton police spokesperson Lt. Jubal Rogers confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
McKinney, who had been with the department for about a year, was navigating a curve on West Paces Ferry Road around 4:30 a.m. Monday when she hit a curb, crashed into a utility pole and took out a mailbox, Channel 2 Action News reported.
“We received a call from the Atlanta Police Department in reference to one of our employees possibly driving under the influence,” Chief Keith Meadows told the news station. “She was on call for that particular night.”
Atlanta officers performed a field sobriety test and determined she was under the influence of alcohol, Rogers said.
An internal investigation was immediately opened, and McKinney was fired the next day.
“The damage to the vehicle was pretty extensive and, you know, we have a very strict policy on not only the use of our city vehicles but also zero-tolerance policy as it relates to driving under the influence of any type of substance,” Meadows told Channel 2, adding that the SUV likely cannot be repaired.
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