Officer Decommissioned & Charged After Suspected of Being Involved in Off-Duty DUI-Related Crashes Overnight

Central Precinct Officer Chetan Babbar has been decommissioned and is facing charges of DUI, leaving the scenes of two crashes, and two counts of failure to report/render aid stemming from his off-duty actions behind the wheel of his personal vehicle during the 2 a.m. hour today.

Babbar, 38, is accused of rear-ending an Uber driver who was stopped at a red traffic light at the intersection of 9th Avenue and Broadway. Witnesses said he made a U-turn before driving onto McGavock Street from 12th Avenue South, and while on McGavock, suddenly turned left into the wall of a building. Babbar got out and ran from the scene. Officers found him a short time later close to his nearby residence. Those officers smelled alcohol on Babbar's person and observed his speech was slurred.

Babbar was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center and admitted for treatment of injuries he sustained in the second crash. He was issued five misdemeanor citations at the hospital and is to be booked on the charges in January.

Babbar graduated from the MNPD Academy in February 2023.