Despite the amount of blood at the scene, all the three passengers from the Chrysler 300 escaped without serious injuries. The officer, Raphael Ospina, and his two passengers were all rushed to the hospital but their injuries were not believed to be life threatening.
One of Ospina's passengers suffered a broken arm, while the cop broke three ribs and suffered a head laceration, officials said. The other passenger was treated and released.
A champagne cork and a carton of Tropicana orange juice were found inside the car, which had its windshield shattered in the crash.
Its roof was cut off by firefighters to rescue the men trapped inside. This made police charge Ospina with both driving while intoxicated and vehicular assault. The officer was suspended without pay.
The cop was defended by his brother, but when asked if the officer had driven drunk before, he said, "I'm sure he has. He's the type of guy everybody likes to be around - he puts people in a good mood."
"I have to stick up for him, he's my brother," Ospina’s brother added. "Everyone makes mistakes. Nobody's perfect. He's an awesome guy. He's not a bad cop."
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