ST. LOUIS • An off-duty St. Louis officer crashed into a city-owned SUV that was parked in the driveway of a deputy fire chief’s home early Thursday and is being investigated for drunken driving, authorities say.

The officer, 37, struck the fire department SUV while driving his personal vehicle shortly after 5 a.m., police said. The crash was on McCausland Avenue near Wabash Avenue.

The officer’s vehicle came to rest on the lawn of a home, police say. Paramedics responded but determined the officer was not hurt.

The SUV, a Chevrolet Tahoe that was parked in a deputy chief’s driveway, is an unmarked take-home vehicle owned by the fire department, according to Fire Capt. Garon Mosby. The department has five deputy chiefs.

The police department’s internal affairs investigators responded to the scene and have begun an investigation, police say.

A police spokeswoman would not say if the officer was arrested or ticketed, only that the officer was released pending charges and that the investigation is ongoing.

Police did not identify the officer but said he has worked for the department for just under 14 years.

A different St. Louis officer was drunk when he crashed a squad car after a shift in December, according to charges filed in January. Jason Flanery resigned from the force shortly after the crash on Dec. 19. He was charged with driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident.

Joel Currier • 314-340-8256

@joelcurrier on Twitter

jcurrier@post-dispatch.com

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