CLAREMORE, Okla. — On July 21, Rogers County Deputy Justin Book was arrested for driving under the influence. Multiple calls came in about a deputy's vehicle driving erratically, knocking over a street sign and mailbox.
"He showed obvious signs of intoxication," Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton. "He admittedly said he has taken Ambien and drank alcohol after that."
WATCH: 'When I saw the name, I was like shocked:' Rogers County Deputy arrested for DUI
Claremore police arrested Book, who was off-duty at the time of the incident. The sheriff's office put out this statement after the arrest, which surprised many in the community.
"I was shocked," Claremore resident Barbara Froman-Boyd said. "Very good kid. Very shocking, but everybody is human."
Walton tells me that Book had tried getting help before the incident, but was unsuccessful. Monday, Book was able to start getting the help he was looking for.
"When he was bonded out this morning, he went straight to that program," Walton said. "Some will say that's what people do when they get in trouble, they go check themselves in. He was trying to get help on his own."
Froman-Boyd thought the statement from the sheriff's office was the right thing to do.
"It really did sound like he thought a lot about the guy," Froman-Boyd said. "Hopefully he'll give him a little leniency anyway."
Walton says Book is under administrative suspension while getting treatment, and that their internal investigation is still ongoing."
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