(Updated) Sheriff: Deputy no longer employed after DWI arrest

An off-duty St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office deputy was arrested Sunday in Terrebonne Parish on a DWI charge. A juvenile was also in the vehicle the off-duty deputy was driving, according to state police.

St. Mary Parish Sheriff Scott Anslum said in a Tuesday news release that the deputy is no longer employed with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office.

At 4:05 p.m. Sunday, a trooper with State Police Troop C on patrol observed a Nissan Versa traveling north on La. 24 North in Terrebonne Parish with an expired license plate, Troop C Spokesman Tfc. Jesse LaGrange said in an email.

The trooper conducted a traffic stop and met with the driver, Dustin Crabtree, 36, LaGrange said. LaGrange confirmed that Crabtree is a St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office deputy.

The trooper observed signs of impairment and conducted a standardized field sobriety test, which Crabtree failed, LaGrange said.

He was placed under arrest for DWI and submitted a breath sample. Crabtree tested above the legal limit of 0.08 grams-percent blood alcohol content, LaGrange said.

Crabtree was booked into the Terrebonne Parish Criminal Justice Center on charges of DWI involving a juvenile, because a minor was inside the vehicle, and an expired license plate, LaGrange said.

On Jan. 25, St. Mary Parish Sheriff Scott Anslum had announced Crabtree as St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office deputy of the third quarter of 2017.

In a press release about the award, the sheriff’s office said Crabtree was commended for his meticulous and successful case work from gathering evidence and report-writing, to following up on cases with victims, identifying suspects and making arrests.

In late 2017, Crabtree responded to a report of recovered property related to a burglary case. Although the call came in at the end of his shift, Crabtree proceeded to catalog each piece of evidence all while explaining the steps with enthusiasm to a juvenile on scene who had expressed an interest in the forensic work.

In a Monday news release, Anslum said that an off-duty St. Mary Sheriff’s Office deputy was arrested by Louisiana State Police for operating a vehicle while intoxicated in Terrebonne Parish. The deputy wasn't identified in that news release, but Anslum stated that the deputy was placed on suspension without pay pending an internal investigation.

“Our badge is a symbol of the trust the people of St. Mary Parish have placed in us," Anslum said. "We, as law enforcement officers, must maintain a high level of integrity. When a law enforcement officer breaks that trust, they must be held accountable for their decisions.”