Trooper Investigated for Dropping Pants at Harford BBQ Joint

Customers of a Harford County barbecue joint reportedly were flashed by an intoxicated Maryland state trooper who dropped his pants in the restaurant and took photos with sheriff’s deputies.

The trooper, along with another trooper who was not accused of wrongdoing while at the restaurant, are both veterans of the force, one a corporal and the other a sergeant. The troopers were off duty when the incident allegedly occurred Saturday night as customers were watching football games.

A husband and wife at the Jarrettsville Pit barbecue restaurant said they saw a man – believed to be a corporal with the Maryland State Patrol -- take his pants down and walk around in his black boxers, says WBAL TV. According to the incident report, “at one point, (the male) had pulled his shorts down, exposing himself to (him) and his wife.”

“If that happened, I am obviously appalled. I obviously don’t want that kind of business here,” restaurant owner Mark Slezak told WBAL TV.

Deputies with the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and Maryland State Police supervisors arrived at the restaurant to find the corporal sitting in a booth, the station reported.

WBAL says that according to the sheriff’s office incident report, “(He) appeared to be intoxicated. He took out his cellphone and began taking pictures of deputies on scene and stated for deputies to look at the camera and smile.”

The sergeant who was with the corporal is also under internal investigation.

The trooper denied to investigators that he exposed himself, telling deputies he had shorts on underneath his jeans. According to the incident report, the officer dropped his jeans for the deputies while still in the bar to show them his black spandex briefs.

The Baltimore Sun reports that neither trooper at the restaurant has been charged with a crime. The corporal who allegedly dropped his pants has been suspended with pay after he was driven to the Bel Air Barrack by its commander. He has been suspended with pay while the case is investigated.

Authorities have not released the names of the two troopers since they have not been charged. The Harford County Sheriff’s office told the newspaper that the corporal is 34 and from Abingdon. An age and hometown were not available for the other trooper.

Cristie Kahler, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, told the Sun once the investigation is completed, the case will be forwarded to the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office, which will determine if charges will be filed.

»»»Watch the full WBAL TV report here.