An Atlanta police officer admitted Tuesday he had been drinking when he drove the wrong way on I-85 and struck a Greyhound bus nearly head-on in April.
Christopher Niezurawski, 36, pleaded guilty in DeKalb County State Court and was sentenced to 12 months, 10 days of which he’ll serve in jail, Sherry Boston, the county’s Solicitor-General, said in a press release.
In addition, Niezurawski must pay $800 plus court costs for a total of $1,243, perform 80 hours of community service, participate on a Mothers Against Drunk Driving impact panel and have alcohol evaluation and treatment, Boston said. During his 12 months on probation, he will not be allowed to consume any alcohol and will have to undergo random alcohol screenings.
Niezurawski was off-duty around 4:30 a.m. on April 26 when he entered I-85 southbound at the Lenox-Cheshire Bridge Road exit but traveled northbound, investigators have said.
An off-duty DeKalb officer spotted the vehicle stopped the wrong way in the travel lanes between Northcrest and Pleasantdale roads, but before officers could get to the vehicle, a bus loaded with passengers struck the wrong-way vehicle, police previously said.
No one on the bus was injured. Niezurawski was treated and released from the hospital the same day.
Niezurawski is assigned to the APD Special Operations Section, Motors Unit, a police department spokesman said Tuesday. He is currently on administrative assignment pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
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