This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

An NOPD officer is on Emergency Suspension without Pay after being involved in an early morning wreck on the Twin Span and testing at over the legal limit of alcohol. The other driver involved was also found to have been driving while intoxicated.

Officer Jayson Germann, who was most recently assigned to the department’s Gang Intelligence Unit, was driving his departmental take-home car on the I-10 Twin Span eastbound at about 2:30am when the accident happened. Germann was not on duty at the time.  The wreck is being investigated by Louisiana State Police Troop “L.”

State Police suspected that Germann had been drinking, and Germann agreed to take a breathalyzer.  The test showed his alcohol consumption was over the legal limit.  Subsequently, he was arrested and transported to the Slidell jail facility where he was charged with Driving While Intoxicated and Reckless Operation of a Motor Vehicle.

Germann was placed on Emergency Suspension without Pay until the department’s Public Integrity Bureau conducts an investigation into his case.

State troopers say:

This morning shortly after 2:30am, Troop L was notified of a two vehicle crash on Interstate 10 eastbound at milepost #257.4 (Twin span).  Further investigation revealed that the crash occurred as a 2002 Chevrolet Impala (unmarked NOPD unit), driven by 38 year old Jayson Germann of Bush, LA, was traveling east on I-10 in the left lane.  Upon continuing eastbound, Germann lost control of the Chevrolet causing it to travel off the left side of the road and impact the left side guardrail.  The Chevrolet then swerved to the right and impacted a 1991 Geo passenger car being driven in the right eastbound lane by 53 year old Frank Hyde of Slidell, LA.

Both drivers were wearing seat belts and received no injuries in the crash. Investigating Troopers placed both drivers under arrest for DWI and transported them to the Slidell Police Department where they submitted to a breath alcohol test registering over the legal limit.

Germann was charged with 1st offense DWI and Careless Operation.

Hyde was charged with 1st offense DWI.