Paris, Tenn.–An off-duty Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper was arrested in Paris Monday morning on charges of DUI first offense, violation of implied consent and possession of a weapon while intoxicated.
Trooper Daryl Veliz, age36, of McKenzie, has reportedly been placed on discretionary leave with pay pending an internal investigation by the THP.
According to the police report, a Paris Police officer observed a Ford pickup truck running off the roadway around 5 a.m. Monday while on routine patrol. The officer saw Veliz slumped over in the seat. The officer also saw open containers of alcohol in plain view inside the truck and officers recovered a loaded Smith & Wesson .380 handgun inside the vehicle.
Veliz performed poorly in the field sobriety test, according to the report.
