Aurora Cop Annette Brook Pleads Guilty To DUI, Gun Charge
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - An Aurora police officer, Annette Brook, has pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and prohibited use of a weapon following her arrest last June by the Colorado State Patrol. Brook's attorney, Jay Tiftickjian, told CBS4 he had no comment on the case, which was resolved last week, according to state records.
Colorado court records show CSP arrested Brook, 56, on June 17 after she was involved in a single car crash. Brook was off duty at the time and was driving a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. She hit a concrete highway barrier as she was westbound on C-470.
Brook said she had fallen asleep at the wheel but authorities determined her blood alcohol content was .227, nearly three times the legal limit for DUI. A loaded handgun was found in her SUV.
A Douglas County judge sentenced Brook to 20 days of in-home detention and 12 months probation.
In a statement to CBS4, District Attorney George Brauchler said, "Nobody is above the law in our community. Police, plumber, principal or otherwise are equally protected and accountable under our laws," wrote Brauchler. "When a well- investigated DUI case is brought to us, we will pursue it without regard to title, occupation, station, or demographic. DUI is dangerous, illegal and wrong every single time."
Brook's treatment by the Colorado State Patrol stands in stark contrast to that of fellow Aurora officer Nate Meier, who was found drunk, armed and passed out while on duty at the wheel of an Aurora police vehicle March 29. But Aurora commanders involved in the Meier case explained they weren't convinced Meier was drunk and handled his case as a "medical episode." He was never arrested or charged with DUI and remains with the Aurora Police Department. Sources familiar with the Meier case said his blood alcohol was at least five times the legal limit for DUI.
Since CBS4 first reported the Meier incident, Brauchler has said his staff is reexamining the case and Aurora announced it hired a former U.S. attorney to conduct an independent investigation into how the police department handled the case.
There will likely be few questions about the Annette Brook DUI as it appears to have been handled "by the book" by CSP troopers. CBS4 requested information from the Aurora Police Department on Brook's job status and current assignment but did not receive an immediate response.