A lieutenant with the Los Angeles Police Department has been charged with felony driving under the influence after being involved in a crash last weekend, authorities said.
Lt. Matthew Ensley was driving his personal vehicle, an Audi, while off-duty on Sunday when he rear-ended a Toyota Camry on the northbound 605 freeway just south of Spring Street, according to California Highway Patrol Lt. Floretino Olivera.
The CHP arrested Ensley at the scene after performing field sobriety tests, which allegedly showed his blood-alcohol content at more than twice the legal limit of 0.08%.
The passenger of the Camry reported injuries and was transported to a hospital by paramedics. No one else at the scene reported injuries, Olivera said. It’s unclear if speed was a factor in the crash.
Ensley was taken into custody and booked on six counts. Two felonies later were filed by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office — one count of driving under the influence of alcohol and causing injury, and one count of driving with a 0.08% blood alcohol content causing injury.
Ensley pleaded not guilty to both felony charges at an arraignment in Bellflower on Wednesday. He was released after posting bail, which was $100,000.
According to the LAPD, Ensley is a lieutenant for the Transit Services division, but his history with the department beyond that is unclear. According to department records, he started with the department sometime around 2005.
In January, the LAPD tightened its policy on drinking for armed off-duty officers, making it a violation for officers to blow a blood-alcohol level of 0.04% or higher
According to department records, several officers have been investigated for driving under the influence since the beginning of 2024.
Ensley’s next court date is in May.
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