Ex-Titusville Police Chief fired for refusing drug test after crash: termination letter
Titusville police chief fired after city vehicle crash
Titusville Police Chief John Lau was fired after crashing a city-owned vehicle late Tuesday, authorities said, as state investigators examine whether alcohol or drugs played a role in the wreck.
TITUSVILLE, Fla. - Titusville Police Chief John Lau was fired Wednesday for refusing to submit to a drug test, after he was involved in a rollover crash in an unmarked police vehicle the day before in Brevard County, according to his termination letter.
Officers who responded to the scene said a Ketel One vodka bottle and a Yeti cup were found in the chief's vehicle, according to Titusville Police incident reports. FF
Termination letter: Titusville Police Chief fired for refusing drug test after crash
What they're saying:
"Effective immediately your employment is terminated with cause in accordance with your Employment Agreement specifically for violation of Section 5.14 City Policy on Drugs and Alcohol refusal to submit to a drug test," read the letter.
City of Titusville: FHP not recommending charges in Brevard County crash
The backstory:
According to the City of Titusville and Florida Highway Patrol, Chief Lau was driving an unmarked Titusville Police Department vehicle in Brevard County on Tuesday night, when he drove off the road, causing the vehicle to roll multiple times.
FHP said the crash happened around 11:30 p.m. near Berna Avenue and River Oaks Drive. Lau was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, FHP said. A spokesperson for FHP said it was investigating whether alcohol, drugs, or other substances were a factor in the crash.
Late Thursday, Titusville Police said in a news release that FHP had decided not to file charges against Lau. It deferred any questions about FHP's investigation to the agency.
FOX 35 has reached out to FHP to confirm that it has decided not to file charges. It's also unclear if Lau was issued a citation or a ticket.
Titusville PD: Vodka bottle, metal cup found at crash site
In a new statement released on Thursday evening, the City of Titusville said Titusville Police Officers responded to the crash scene in Brevard County after learning that then-Chief Lau was involved.
Officers found a "partially consumed vodka bottle" and a metal cup at the scene, the police department said in a statement.
Because of that, Deputy Chief Wright ordered a commander to the hospital and requested Chief Lau submit to alcohol testing, which he refused.
"This is an extremely unfortunate and avoidable incident," said Acting Chief Tyler "TJ" Wright in a statement. "Thankfully, no other innocent parties were involved, and no serious injuries were sustained."
"This incident does not reflect the values of this department or the dedicated men and women who serve our city," he said.
Who is John Lau?
The City of Titusville appears to have removed Lau's online bio from its website, as the link appeared broken on Thursday.
According to a cached version, Lau served more than 30 years with the Titusville Police Department, starting on patrol in 1992 and steadily rising through the ranks to become chief in 2013.
He earned several recognitions throughout his career, including officer of the year, supervisor of the year, and detective of the year, according to his online bio.
The Source: The information used in this story is from the City of Titusville, Florida Highway Patrol, and a cached version of Lau's bio on the City of Titusville's website.