A senior police officer has been suspended after an alleged drink-diving incident.
Chief Inspector Paul Barrett, of Northumbria Police's criminal justice department, has been accused of failing to provide a breath sample to officers after he allegedly crashed his car in their force area.
Barrett was arrested in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, on suspicion of drink-driving in the early hours of Sunday, July 29.
He was later charged with failing to provide a specimen of breath.
The 37-year-old former Washington Neighbourhood Policing Team inspector was off-duty at the time of the accident.
No one was hurt in the incident, which only involved the inspector's car.
A spokesman for Northumbria Police said: "Paul Barrett was arrested by Durham
officers on Sunday, and was subsequently charged with failing to provide a specimen of breath for analysis.
"His vehicle had been involved in a collision in the Chester-le-Street area.
"There were no other vehicles involved and nobody was injured. He is currently suspended from duty."
Barrett will appear in court on Tuesday, August 14.
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