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Newly graduated Mass. state trooper resigns after OUI charges
James Doran’s lawyer said there was going to be a hearing, but the trooper “decided that it would be more appropriate for him to just resign."
A recently graduated Massachusetts State Police trooper who is facing charges stemming from an alleged drunk driving incident in Tewksbury has resigned from the agency, officials said.
James Doran, 27, resigned from his position as a state trooper effective Wednesday, a State Police spokesperson told Boston.com. When a trooper is separated from service after criminal charges, they are ineligible to be reinstated, according to State Police policy.
Spokesperson Tim McGuirk said the misconduct will also be reported to the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, the statewide police watchdog group.
Doran’s attorney, Robert Normandin, said there was going to be a hearing to determine Doran’s status, but “he decided that it would be more appropriate for him to just resign from the position.”
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Doran is charged with operating under the influence and possession of an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle, according to court records. He pleaded not guilty to both charges Monday.
“It’s a shame that it happened but I believe this case will end up being resolved in his favor, but that’s going to be for a future court date,” Normandin told Boston.com. “The state is going to miss the services of a very talented trooper.”
Doran allegedly rear-ended another vehicle around 11 p.m. on Sunday night on Main Street in Tewksbury while he was off-duty, WBZ originally reported. He and his passenger were unsteady on their feet, had slurred speech, and smelled of alcohol, responding police reported.
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The passenger originally claimed he was driving, but Doran then admitted he was behind the wheel after having “a few drinks.” He refused a breath test and a field sobriety test, WBZ reported.
Doran graduated from the Massachusetts State Police Academy Oct. 9 and, like all new state troopers, was set to be on probation with the department for the next year. He was working out of the Leominster barracks, WBZ reported. He was in the same class as Enrique Delgado-Garcia, who died on Sept. 13 after becoming unresponsive during a training exercise.
“Mass. State Police have clearly had a lot of difficulty in the last few years and I don’t believe this could’ve been any other way because he was new on the job,” Normandin said. “He’s a very good person. I think he’d be a great trooper.”
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