Decommissioned MNPD Sergeant Charged with 2 Counts of Aggravated Assault in Off-Duty I-40 Incident

Decommissioned MNPD Sergeant Donald Barnes late this afternoon surrendered himself for booking on two felony aggravated assault warrants related to his driving into an I-40 construction zone on March 7th and putting workers in fear.

Barnes, 53, a 26-year police veteran, was off-duty driving his personal SUV on I-40 east near the Donelson Pike exit at 7:30 p.m. March 7th when he traveled into a closed area despite traffic cones and barrels.

The construction workers reported waving their arms to get the driver's attention and direct him back to the open lanes of interstate. Barnes is alleged to have continued driving forward before stopping with construction workers in front of him. Barnes and one of the workers engaged in a verbal argument before Barnes reportedly lunged his vehicle forward twice, making contact with one of the workers both times. During this, Barnes identified himself as a Metro police officer and was seen by the workers holding a pistol across his stomach pointed at the driver's door where one of the workers stood on the outside. The workers ultimately moved away from the SUV, and Barnes drove through the remainder of the construction zone and onto Donelson Pike.

The workers recorded the license plate number, which was reported to the police department. Barnes was decommissioned (police authority removed) the following day, on March 8, and an investigation was begun.

Barnes had been assigned to West Precinct patrol.