MUNCIE-- A Muncie Police Officer awaiting federal trial for false reporting was arrested Friday for suspected drunk driving.
According to a Kokomo Police report obtained by WRTV Investigates, on Friday July 7 at around 5:00 a.m., police responded to a report of a property damage accident on US 31 near mile marker 163.5.
One of the drivers was identified as current Muncie Police Officer Corey Posey. Posey rear-ended another vehicle, read the police report, and when asked what happened, Posey told police he was falling asleep and blamed the crash on fatigue.
“Posey informed the officer that he was traveling on US 31 and collided with rear of another vehicle which was traveling on 31,” said Kokomo Police Major Brian Seldon in an email to WRTV. “The driver of the other vehicle advised that he was traveling on US 31 when he seen a vehicle approaching him quickly from behind him and then the vehicle struck his vehicle in the rear.”
According to the police report, another witness said he was driving 70 mph near Toby Pike when Posey passed him at a high rate of speed, “swerving all over the roadway” and nearly hit the witness.
According to Seldon, officers detected alcohol on Posey’s breath while speaking with him.
“Corey was hard to understand exactly where he was coming from and going to,” read the report. “I asked Corey how much he had to drink tonight, and he stated not much.”
Posey informed the officer he was an active officer with Muncie Police Department, and had been an officer since 2018, read the report.
Kokomo Police performed a field sobriety on Posey.
Officers noted his eyes were red and glossy, and that he stepped off-line while completing a walk and turn test.
Posey was transported to the Howard County Jail for a certified test where he tested over the legal limit, according to Kokomo Police.
Posey was arrested and booked into the Howard County Jail for operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangerment and operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
Howard County prosecutors filed formal charges against Posey on Monday:
- Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Endangering a Person
- Oper Veh w/ Alcohol Concentration Equivalent to at Least .08 but Less than .15
WRTV Investigates has contacted the Muncie Police Department to see if Posey is still employed with the department.
"Officer Posey is currently on administrative leave and we are investigating the situation," said Muncie Police Chief Nathan Sloan in a statement to WRTV. "Once the investigation is complete, the matter will be forwarded to the Muncie Police Merit Commission per procedure and in accordance with Indiana state law."
An attorney for Posey declined to comment.
In an unrelated case, a federal court has scheduled Posey second jury trial for September 11.
As WRTV reported last month, his first trial ended in a hung jury after 13 hours of deliberation.
Posey is the remaining defendant in the federal government’s case against current and former Muncie Police officers — for police brutality or attempting to cover it up.
The U.S. Attorney's Office announced after the mistrial they planned to continue prosecuting Posey.
Posey’s pretrial conference is scheduled for August 30 and a jury trial is scheduled for September 11 at 9 a.m.
Posey was charged with one count of False Report, a felony, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
The allegations against Corey Posey stem from a 2018 incident in which Posey is accused of writing a report that implied suspect Lonnie Gannom failed to comply with commands.
Posey omitted from the report that his colleague, Officer Chase Winkle, struck Gannom’s head and neck with his knee and also omitted that Winkle caused Gannom’s injuries, the indictment read.
Posey is the only officer to go to trial. Four other former Muncie Police officers have already pleaded guilty in the federal government’s case against current and former Muncie Police officers for police brutality or attempting to cover it up.
He is also the only police officer federally charged who is still employed with the Muncie Police Department.
Posey is still receiving a salary from the city, WRTV Investigates has learned.
Muncie Police Department Chief Nathan Sloan placed Posey on paid administrative leave on April 14, 2021, the day after the federal indictment.
Posey has been with the department since 2018. In 2021, his salary was $56,386 or $27.11 per hour, records show.
WRTV Investigates filed a records request in June 2023 to find out how much compensation Posey has collected since he was federally indicted for false reporting, and we are waiting on a response.
