New charges filed against former Gainesville Police officer accused in off-duty DUI crash

May 18—A former Gainesville Police officer accused of driving drunk had charges added by an outside prosecutor following an off-duty crash last year, according to court documents.

Tyler Scott McBee, 32, was charged with driving under the influence, driving under the influence (less safe), reckless driving, failure to report accident and failure to maintain lane.

The Cherokee County Solicitor General, Todd Hayes, has handled the case and filed the accusation Tuesday, May 16. The new charges from Hayes' accusation include reckless driving and driving under the influence.

Gainesville Police said McBee was involved in a single-vehicle wreck April 9, 2022, on Mountain View Road at Meeks Road.

Hall County Sheriff's Office deputies were called around 3:45 a.m. April 9, 2022. Gainesville Police said the Sheriff's Office was asked to investigate after the department determined an officer was involved in a crash.

Police said McBee was off-duty and in his personal vehicle, a Mazda 3 hatchback.

Though the legal limit in Georgia for blood alcohol concentration is 0.08, law enforcement can still charge DUI (less safe) if the person is under the influence of drugs or alcohol "to the extent that it is less safe for the person to drive," according to Georgia law.

The Hall County State Court judges recused themselves, and Senior Judge John F. Doran Jr. was designated to preside over the case last May.

McBee worked with Gainesville Police from November 2019 to April 11, 2022. Before then, he had worked as a reserve officer for the Hall County Sheriff's Office and a probation officer.

The Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, which handles certification for Georgia law enforcement, said McBee received 24 months of probation.

Defense attorney Clint Teston declined to comment.