A Dallas police officer faces a driving while intoxicated charge when he is discharged from the hospital after crashing his pickup into a tree, according to the Arlington Police Department.
The Arlington Police Department says, just before 1 a.m. Thursday, officers were called to the 6900 block of Russell Curry Road. A white Dodge Ram pickup had left the roadway and crashed into a tree.
The driver of the pickup, 48-year-old Michael Patino, was seriously injured and airlifted to an area hospital.
Based on the investigation, Arlington police say officers believe alcohol was a factor in the crash and Patino will be charged with DWI once he's out of the hospital.
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The Arlington Police Department said it learned later that Patino is an employee of the Dallas Police Department.
The Dallas Police Department says Patino is a sergeant assigned to the Love Field Unit's Special Operations Division and that he has been with the department since February 1998. Patino is on administrated leave pending the outcome of an Internal Affairs investigation.
It is not clear if Patino has an attorney.
