Bibb deputy arrested for DUI

Early Saturday morning, a Bibb County Sheriff’s deputy was arrested by a Georgia State Patrol trooper for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.

According to authorities, the trooper was conducting a traffic stop near the intersection of Riverside Drive and Spring Street when Deputy Mitchell Tharpe, who was in his patrol vehicle at the time, pulled up next to the trooper to “assist the motorist.”

Tharpe was not on duty.

“Tharpe displayed signs of being intoxicated and was given a field sobriety test at the scene,” according to a media release.

The trooper placed Tharpe under arrest and charged him with DUI and he was transported to the Bibb County jail and booked on the charge.

His bond was set at $1,850 and he was released around 10:30 a.m.

Tharpe is suspended from duty pending an internal investigation.

To contact writer David Schick, call 744-4382.

This story was originally published June 13, 2015 at 10:37 AM with the headline "Bibb deputy arrested for DUI."