Former police officer sent to jail

wtvd

By ABC11

Monday, November 2, 2009

RALEIGH Andrew R. Caruana, 32, was sentenced to a 7-day suspended sentence and 18 months of probation back in June for assault and making threats, but he immediately appealed. In court Monday, Caruna instead offered a plea agreement that was accepted by prosecutors: an Alford plea and a week in jail to put the matter behind him.

An Alford plea means Caruana maintains his innocence but acknowledges prosecutors could possibly win a conviction

Last February, police released the 911 tape recorded before Caruana was arrested. His wife called emergency services from her home in the 10000 block of Heather Meadow Lane.

Investigators said Caruana pointed a gun at a man in the house.

In the call, Caruana's ex-wife tells the dispatcher what happened.

Caller: Oh my God, Oh My God..

911: What's the matter?

Caller: My whole bedroom, the window is broken, my whole bed, my bed's destroyed someone went through the window or fell into the window.. the drywall is broken..

Caller: My God.. I can't do this

911: Does anybody need an ambulance ma'am?

Caller: I don't know.. nobody's here.

Caruana was arrested and taken to the Wake County Jail. Police Chief Harry Dolan said Caruana was off-duty at the time of the incident and his service weapon was not involved.

Caruana joined the department on June 4, 2000, and held the rank of senior officer, and had most recently been assigned to the department's Gang Suppression Unit. He resigned in June.