APD lieutenant faces DUI charges, flees hospital after agreeing to a blood test, GSP says

PAULDING COUNTY, Ga. — An Atlanta Police Lieutenant is on “non-enforcement status” after he was charged with driving under the influence in Paulding County.

According to Georgia State Patrol, Ayana’s SUV was found crashed off the roadway along Macland Road near Mount Tabor Church Road just after midnight, Sunday morning.

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A trooper who responded said “he could smell alcohol on Mr. Anaya’s breath,” and inside the vehicle the Trooper spotted an open Modelo beer and Atlanta Police issued gear.

Ayana was taken to Wellstar Paulding where GSP said he agreed to a blood test. But when the trooper went to retrieve his “blood draw kit”, nurses reported Ayana fled the hospital.

Cobb County K-9′s, along with the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, were called in to help find Anaya.

Eventually, a Hiram officer found Anaya at a RaceTrac across the street from the hospital.

Ayana is also charge with failure to maintain a lane and open container.

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In a statement, the Atlanta Police Department said:

“After learning of the arrest of Atlanta Police Lt. Renato Anaya, APD Commanders immediately initiated an internal investigation into the incident and placed Lt. Anaya in a non-enforcement status. Chief Schierbaum and APD Commanders take incidents like this very seriously and will review the outcome of the investigation to determine the next steps. At this time, the investigation continues.”

Ayana was booked and later bonded out of the Paulding County jail.

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