A Bluefield police officer charged with driving under the influence pleaded guilty to a lesser charge Wednesday.
Randall Vernon Johnson Jr., 23, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving, according to an order filed in Mercer County Magistrate Court.
Magistrate Sandra Dorsey fined Johnson the minimum fee of $25 for the offense, and did not impose a jail sentence. The officer also paid about $165 in court fees. West Virginia law allows a fine of up to $500 and a jail sentence of up to 90 days for a reckless driving conviction.
Bluefield Police Chief Dennis Dillow said Johnson will likely face a suspension of up to 10 days. All suspensions from the department are paid, he wrote in a follow-up email.
Dillow said he will review the case documents and his agency's policies before making a decision.
If Johnson had been convicted of DUI, he would likely be fired, Dillow said.
"Our rules and regulations are set to where, if you commit some type of act, the punishment is predetermined," he said.
On May 20, Johnson was off duty and driving a truck on W.Va. 123 when he drifted slightly into the lane of oncoming traffic, according to a criminal complaint. A Mercer County sheriff's deputy was driving in the opposite direction and said he saw Johnson cross the center line several times, the complaint states.
The deputy pulled Johnson over on Bull Tail Hollow Road, near the Mercer County Airport, and "observed an open Bud Light can in the cup holder" of Johnson's car, according to the complaint.
Johnson allegedly couldn't find his registration or proof of insurance, and the deputy called for backup after Johnson said there were guns in the truck.
The Bluefield officer lost his balance during a field sobriety test on "near level blacktop," asked to try the test again in a different spot, and lost his balance again, according to the complaint.
After his arrest, Johnson took a breath test at the Princeton Police Department and registered a blood-alcohol level of .088, according to the complaint - slightly above the .08 cutoff for drunk driving.
The deputy then took Johnson to the Mercer County Sheriff's Department for processing, and Johnson ended the night in holding at the Bluefield Police Department, the complaint states.
Dillow said Johnson started at the Bluefield department about one year ago.
"He's an excellent policeman," the Bluefield chief said. "He just got out there and had a lack of judgment at that time."
Reach Giuseppe Sabella at giuseppe.sabella@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5189 or follow @Gsabella on Twitter.