Ex-MSU police officer gets 1 year probation for drunken driven

A former Michigan State University police captain was sentenced to a year of probation for drunken driving and carrying a gun while under the influence, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said.

Valerie O’Brien pleaded guilty Monday in 55th District Court in Mason to a charge of operating a motor vehicle with a high blood alcohol content, a 180-day misdemeanor, and a charge of carrying a concealed pistol while under the influence with a blood alcohol content of 0.10 or more, a 93-day misdemeanor, according to Nessel's office.

A judge sentenced her to one year of probation and ordered her to pay a $700 fine and $1,295 in fees and costs. Also as part of O'Brien's sentence, she must perform 40 hours of community service by year's end, undergo counseling, apologize to the officer who arrested her and is prohibited from consuming alcohol. She is also banned from using drugs without a prescription, leaving the state without court permission, or possessing a dangerous weapon. 

Nessel said O'Brien was arrested in February after pulling onto the shoulder of I-96. A Michigan State Police trooper asked her if she needed help and suspected her of being under the influence of alcohol. 

O'Brien failed a field sobriety test and refused a preliminary breath test. A blood test later showed she had an alcohol content of 0.251 percent, more than three times the state's legal limit.

At the time of her arrest, O’Brien’s police-issued pistol was in the back seat of her car.

Nessel said the Ingham County Prosecutor Carol Seimon petitioned the court for a Special Prosecuting Attorney after the arrest and it was given to her office.

cramirez@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @CharlesERamirez