BELLE — A former Maries County R-2 School Resource Officer (SRO) was stopped and arrested in the early morning hours of May 23 by a Maries County Sheriff’s Department Belle Division deputy on allegations of driving while intoxicated.

Brian S. Brennan of Belle was stopped on 8th Street around 3 a.m. on Saturday by Deputy Michael Sassman after the deputy observed minor children in the bed of the truck Brennan was driving.

Upon further investigation, Sassman determined that Brennan was impaired and arrested the former officer for driving while intoxicated. Brennan was taken to the Maries County Jail where his blood alcohol content measured at .196, about .116 over the legal limit.

Brennan previously worked for the Belle Police Department under Marshal Joe Turnbough, and later under Maries County Sheriff Chris Heitman when the city of Belle contracted the city’s police services to the sheriff’s department in February.

Due to the Maries R-2 School District’s closure March 19 — nine weeks ahead of schedule, Brennan was laid off from his position as a sheriff’s deputy on March 20 and had not yet taken another position as an officer at the time of his arrest.

Third DWI offense alleged

Earlier this month on May 16, Tommie G. Tramel of Belle was arrested on allegations of driving while intoxicated (DWI).

Maries County Sheriff’s Office Belle Division Deputy Jesse Dodd responded to the Spotless Car Wash in Belle because someone “may have been stuck in the automatic car wash and they damaged the equipment,” according to Heitman’s press release. After investigating the incident, Dodd determined that Tramel was impaired, arrested him and took him to the Maries County Jail where he measured a .185 blood alcohol content, .105 over the legal limit.

This is Tramel’s third DWI offense.