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Drunk On-Duty Detective Accidentally Shoots Colleague in Wrist: Sources

By  Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska and Murray Weiss | April 24, 2014 4:18pm | Updated on April 24, 2014 6:27pm

 NYPD detective Jay Poggi was arrested around 3:15 a.m. Thursday.
NYPD detective Jay Poggi was arrested around 3:15 a.m. Thursday.
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Flickr/Nick Allen

QUEENS — A drunk driving NYPD detective based in Brooklyn accidentally shot his colleague in the wrist Thursday while showing off his service revolver in Queens, sources said.

Jay Poggi, 57, a 31-year veteran of the force assigned to the 75th Precinct, was checking out a robbery in Howard Beach early Thursday morning with another officer, whose name has not been released, sources said.

Sources said that Poggi and the other detective, a 12-year veteran, stopped to get some food and have a few drinks near Cross Bay Boulevard and 164th Street. Poggi was showing the other officer his service weapon, a Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver, when he accidentally fired it, hitting the other officer in the wrist.

Poggi immediately drove his wounded partner to Jamaica Hospital for treatment, sources said.

A field sobriety test registered Poggi's blood alcohol content at .113, well over the .08 limit for drunk driving, a source said. The detective refused further alcohol testing, the source said.

Poggi was arrested at 3:15 a.m. at Cross Bay Boulevard and 164th Avenue in Howard Beach, and charged with driving while intoxicated, police said. Additional charges might be leveled.

The wounded officer's condition was not immediately clear and it was not known if he would face charges as well.

"I've seen a lot of strange ones," one senior law enforcement investigator said. "This is a strange one."

The NYPD would not confirm the details of the incident.

“The matter is under investigation by Internal Affairs,” said a police spokeswoman.

On Thursday afternoon, Poggi was released with out bail after being arrrainged on one count of driving while intoxicated, according to the Queens District Attorney’s office.

“The investigation is ongoing to determine whether any additional charges will be filed,” a spokeswoman said.

Poggi's lawyer, James Moschella, could not be immediately reached for comment.