Dearborn fire chief placed on administrative leave after drunken driving arrest

DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) — Dearborn Fire Department Chief Joseph Murray has been placed on administrative leave after he was arrested for allegedly driving drunk, according to the city.

It’s unclear if the leave is paid or not as officials continue to investigate.

Earlier this week, police said Murray was driving Tuesday around 2:44 a.m. and was pulled over in the area of Telegraph and Dartmouth. They say he passed a police car doing about 15 mph over the speed limit and was allegedly weaving in the road.

Body camera footage shows Murray refused a breathalyzer test and stumbled through a standard field sobriety test. He asked for a lawyer several times. He was eventually taken to the hospital to have his blood drawn, according to police.

7 Action News was there as Murray was leaving the police station after a 12-hour detox with a bandage on his arm, which could indicate a blood draw. He told us he had nothing to say.

The mayor’s office released the following statement Thursday:

“On Tuesday, the administration was notified of an incident involving our fire chief. We are taking this matter seriously. As facts become known, we will take the appropriate course of action. At this time, the fire chief is on administrative leave.”

Murray has been the fire chief since 2012 and joined the Dearborn Fire Department in 2004.