NATCHEZ — He was the law, until he fought the law and the law won.

Adams County Sheriff’s Office detention officer Brandon Lee Gardner, 31, 115 S. Commerce St., was arrested by Vidalia Police early Wednesday morning on charges of DWI — first offense, reckless operation, expired tag, criminal damage to property, aggravated flight from an officer and battery on an officer. He was later released on an $11,205 bond.

Adams County Sheriff Chuck Mayfield said Gardner was interviewed by an ACSO captain about the incident Wednesday morning before voluntarily resigning.

“I am sorry the young man made these decisions and put himself in this problem, but we just cannot tolerate conduct unbecoming of an officer like that,” he said.

“I called (Vidalia Police Chief Arthur Lewis) this morning and told him on behalf of the department that we were sorry that this happened, and that it happened in his jurisdiction.”

The incident began in Natchez, where a Natchez Police Department report states that officers responded to a report that a white Chevrolet Silverado struck a light pole before driving westbound toward Vidalia.

Vidalia Police Department Maj. Bruce Wiley said the NPD had told the VPD to be on a lookout for the vehicle, and at 1:52 a.m. Vidalia officers tried to initiate a traffic stop near the U.S. 84 bridge. Gardner, however, allegedly refused.

“(Officers) said he just wasn’t stopping,” Wiley said. “It wasn’t high speed, they were behind him with their lights, and he just refused to stop.”

The officers were eventually able to stop Gardner in the area of Green Acres Road — which is outside of Vidalia’s city limits — and arrest him.

After taking Gardner to the Vidalia Police Department for booking, officers tried to administere an intoxilyzer test, and the suspect became combative, allegedly striking an officer in the chest, Wiley said.

Gardner was restrained and placed in a holding area before being transferred to the Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office for holding.

Mayfield said Gardner was a good employee who was always dependable and had not been subject to department discipline before the incident.

Gardner was employed at the ACSO for nine months.