From the pictures, it’s hard to believe that the two men in Vasili Pieratos’s Mercedes Benz walked away from a devastating crash in Park Ridge, but luckily, they did.
Pieratos, 43, a police sergeant in Ramsey, lost control of the car as he came around a curve on Kinderkamack Road in the early morning hours of June 14.
The car left the road, went through a yard, struck a tree, and rolled over before finally coming to rest in a second yard.
Pieratos and his passenger, also a police officer, were able to get themselves out of the vehicle without help from police and fire crews who arrived on the scene after homeowners in the area called it in.
The driver’s blood alcohol level was recorded at 0.19%, more than twice the legal limit for DWI.
Officer Todd Stowe, who responded to the accident, wrote in his report that, “The driver’s impairment by alcohol caused him to fail to negotiate the curve and the resultant crash.”
Pieratos was charged with DWI, reckless driving, and given a summons for an unsafe lane change.
Asked for comment by local media, Ramsey Police Chief Bryan Gurney would only provide an email saying that his officer’s DWI is a personnel matter and the department will handle the situation according to state guidelines.
It’s entirely possible that Pieratos will be able to keep his job, though his record will undoubtedly be scrutinized and play a role in final determinations.
People entrusted with public safety have a heavier burden when they become a danger to the public, and Pieratos and his passenger both have a lot of explaining to do.
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