Retired Las Vegas deputy police chief arrested on DUI, battery charges

A retired Las Vegas deputy police chief was arrested Tuesday evening after an apparent drunken fight with an off-duty North Las Vegas police captain.

Carl Fruge, 59, was arrested on charges of driving under the influence and battery on a police officer just before 5 p.m.

According to police, Fruge struck a woman’s car with his motorcycle about 4:30 p.m. near North Durango Road and El Capitan Way.

Off-duty North Las Vegas police Capt. Frank DeMartino saw Fruge exchanging information with the woman in a parking lot and approached the pair, police said.

According to a source, Fruge was hostile and told DeMartino to leave. After Fruge mistakenly believed DeMartino had his driver’s license, the argument escalated into a fight.

Las Vegas police officers were called to the scene and arrested their department’s former chief. DeMartino was not badly hurt.

Fruge retired from Las Vegas police about seven years ago.

He was booked at Clark County Detention Center Tuesday evening.

Contact reporter Mike Blasky at mblasky@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0283. Follow @blasky on Twitter.