AVON, Ind. — Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Sgt. Peter Fekkes is facing several operating a vehicle while intoxicated charges, an open alcoholic container charge and a driving left of the center lane charge.
Fekkes was already suspended pending termination, after he drove drunk in Ohio in 2022. He pleaded guilty to the crime in March 2023 and had to pay $375 in fines. He was also placed on unsupervised probation for up to a year.
Fekkes was suspended without pay on April 10, pending a recommendation of termination to the civilian merit board.
When he was arrested on Thursday, July 25, an IMPD statement says Fekkes "did not have police authority or police powers."
A Hendricks County sheriff's deputy pulled Fekkes over around 11 p.m. Thursday night. The deputy said Fekkes' car crossed the center line.
When the deputy asked Fekkes about it, Fekkes allegedly told the deputy that he crossed the center line because he was eating Taco Bell.
According to court documents, Fekkes refused to take a field sobriety or alcohol breath test. A blood draw allegedly found his blood alcohol level was 0.249 — more than three times the legal limit. The arresting deputy said he took Fekkes to the hospital before jail "due to his high level of intoxication."
Another Hendricks County deputy allegedly found an open bottle of vodka on the floor of Fekkes' car.
According to jail records, he is being held in the Hendricks County Jail without bond.
2022 OWI arrest in Ohio
"I don't want to take you to jail tonight,” said Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper J. Garner to Fekkes in November 2022.
In the bodycam video, you see the trooper talking to Fekkes, who is handcuffed and in the back of a police cruiser during a drunk driving stop.
The stop took place in Fairborn, Ohio. Wright State University police told Garner they found Fekkes slumped over the wheel of a crashed blue Jeep station wagon.
The trooper’s bodycam video shows an unnamed male officer saying, “We knocked on the window, and he wasn't waking up...refusing to get out of the car.”
A male and female officer both told the trooper they found a vodka bottle inside Fekkes' Jeep.
“It’s big enough where it covered the seat and the floor,” the female officer said.
IMPD sent out a statement that Fekkes reported the incident to his supervisor, and then-Chief Randal Taylor was notified on Nov. 17. That same statement said Fekkes was placed on administrative duty while the investigation was underway.
Fekkes joined the department in February 2002. IMPD reports he has been disciplined in the past. IMPD is still working to release Fekkes' disciplinary report to 13 Investigates. The department said he also received praise, and a 13News article from 2016 showed he received a certificate of commendation.
Over the last 20 years, Fekkes was tasked with upholding Indiana laws, including drunk driving rules — laws he’s now accused of violating in one state over.
An unnamed male officer stated Fekkes was being uncooperative by not answering questions.
“Hey bud, we talked about this earlier,” the officer said. “When (trooper) got here, you were going to cooperate. I know you wasn’t with me, but you’re going to with him.”
In the video, you hear Fekkes resist answering some questions and refuse to exit the police vehicle. He did give troopers his phone and his wife’s phone number.
“I don’t want to take you to jail tonight, OK,” Garner said. “But if you’re going to push my buttons, we’ll go straight to jail.”
“I’m not pushing your buttons,” Fekkes said in response. “I’m not pushing your buttons.”
Shortly after that exchange, the IMPD sergeant stepped out of the police car and walked to the trooper’s cruiser.
On the video, you see a flashlight is shined in Fekkes' eyes as the trooper checks them and starts to conduct a field sobriety test. The video and his summons both show he refused the test.
A 2021 law says an officer can lose their certification if convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor "that would cause a reasonable person to believe that the officer is dangerous or violent." Decertification is also on the line if the officer "has a demonstrated propensity to violate the law."