Off-duty police officer charged with DUI
UPDATED— 2014-04-04 —An off-duty Howard County police officer was charged overnight  on Dec. 13, 2013 with driving under the influence of alcohol.
Police Officer Austin Michael George was stopped around 2:20 am in Ellicott City driving his personal vehicle. George is a 2-year veteran of the Howard County Police Department and is assigned as a southern district patrol officer.
A Howard County police officer noticed a vehicle drifting in the roadway on Rogers Avenue near Route 40. The car drifted to the side of Rogers Avenue, where it came to a stop. The officer approached the car and observed that the driver, George, may be intoxicated. Additional officers arrived on-scene and George was charged with driving under the influence.
“We place a strong emphasis on traffic safety in Howard County,” said Police Chief William McMahon. “We recognize the dangers of impaired driving and focus many efforts on combating this problem. We hold our officers to the same expectations that we do of the community.”
After being arrested, George was cited and released to be transported home by a sober driver, which is standard procedure in many DUI cases.
George has been suspended with pay. The investigation is ongoing.