Charges: Off-duty officer pulled over gives police his law enforcement ID instead of drivers license

Tonight, a working Metro Transit police officer has a pending criminal case against himself. That's really raising some questions. Tyler Lowe was arrested for drunk driving for a third time and allegedly gave the officer his police ID instead of his driver's license. And at the time, documents show his blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit. Lou Ragus has been combing through court documents tonight and is here with our top story now.

Lou?

Jennifer, the criminal complaint doesn't specifically say that Tyler Lowe was trying to get out of the DWI by showing the officer that he's a fellow cop, but that is the implication made by how that information is included. When 32-year-old Tyler Lowe was pulled over at 2 a.m. on July 19th on White Bear Avenue and Frost Avenue in Maplewood, it was the third time he was suspected of drunk driving. According to the criminal complaint,

Lowe, who is a police officer himself with Metro Transit PD, at first presented a police identification card. The Maplewood officer didn't take it, instead asking for Lowe's driver's license

at the Maplewood Police Department. Court papers say Lowe initially agreed to take a breath test, but then refused, asking for Lowe's driver's license. At the Maplewood Police Department, court papers say Lowe initially agreed to take a breath test, but then refused, claiming he needed to go to the hospital,

reporting suicidal ideations and that he had swallowed fentanyl prior to the stop. Two hours later, with a search warrant, Lowe's blood showed an alcohol concentration of .23,

nearly three times the legal limit. Lowe had been arrested twice before for drunk driving in Woodbury and Lake Elmo. A transcript from the second case shows that he was a St. Paul Police Reserve officer at that time. The judge telling him,

I hope you can overcome what's happening with you here today and still pursue your career goals. A spokesperson for Metro Transit Police confirmed today that Lowe is employed there as a police officer and is not on leave. When asked to respond to the allegation that Lowe tried to use his position to avoid arrest, the spokesperson said, quote, we can't comment on an open investigation, but we take all allegations very seriously and hold our officers to the highest standards of public safety. Now the court papers don't indicate whether Lowe had any trace of fentanyl in his system

after claiming that he had swallowed some leading to that trip to Regions Hospital. And Jennifer, I'll add that I did reach out to Lowe on his personal phone today and he did not respond.

So do you know then Loue what happens next with this case?

Well the case is going through court so he has a court date set in November. But as for his employment, he is still fully employed.

He's not on leave over at Metro Transit. He's not on leave over at Metro Transit. Police alright, good story tonight.