Leader of anti-DUI squad resigns

WEST VALLEY CITY — The commander of the Utah Highway Patrol's anti-DUI squad turned in his resignation this afternoon, just days after being arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.

Lt. Fred Swain submitted his resignation to the Utah Department of Public Safety on Friday morning, authorities announced at an afternoon news conference. On June 23, Draper police said, Swain was involved in a crash near 400 West and Bangerter Highway. His unmarked patrol car had veered off the right side of the road, overcorrected and slammed into a concrete barrier that separates lanes of traffic, the UHP said.

Officers responding to the scene suspected Swain of driving under the influence of alcohol. Police said a Breathalyzer test given to him at the scene showed a blood alcohol level of .116, more than Utah's .08 legal limit. He was cited for DUI and released to the custody of his supervisor, who was called to the scene of the crash.

Swain was placed on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation.

E-mail: preavy@desnews.com