Drunk Off-Duty Cop Slams Parked Cars Near Brooklyn College [Updated]

An off-duty 70th precinct detective was arrested early this morning, after crashing into several parked cars near Brooklyn College, according to police reports.

NYPD Detective Jermaine Clarke, 38, was driving a Honda southbound on Glenwood Road when he crashed into several parked cars at approximately 12:30am on Monday, June 27, say police. No one was hurt, but responding cops noticed Clarke’s eyes were red and watery, he was slurring his speech, and his breath reeked of alcohol.

Clarke was arrested immediately, near the southwest corner of East 22nd Street, and charged with driving under impaired ability and refusal to take a breathalizer test, according to police.

The crash and arrest happened near East 22nd street, confirmed police, which is just one block from Campus Road at Brooklyn College.

There is some confusion about the exact location of the crash. Police reports confirm that Clarke was driving southbound on Glenwood Road before the collision, and was arrested near East 22nd Street. However, Google Maps show that there is no street parking allowed on Glenwood Road near East 22nd Street; Glenwood is divided by an island, making the driving area narrow on each side. Houses on the block have driveways for parking. In addition, Glenwood Road runs east–west, not north–south, making it possible that Clarke was actually driving southbound on East 22nd in the direction of Brooklyn College.

Update [1:40pm]: A neighbor on the scene (who asked to remain anonymous) told us that the Honda crashed on East 22nd Street between Glenwood and Farragut Roads. The driver hit four or five parked cars on both sides of the street, and a front garden.

“It woke up the whole street,” said the neighbor, who also noted that a few residents called 911 and police arrived 11 minutes later. The drunk driver was reportedly ushered into the car without handcuffs.

“Everybody was shocked at the response time of the police and no earlier efforts to control the speeding and reckless cars,” the neighbor said, citing skid marks on the road from previous incidents, and unanswered requests for speed bumps on the block.

At the time of his arrest, Detective Clarke had served on the force for 12 years, confirmed police.

We will keep you updated as we learn more details.