PIERRE — A Pierre police officer arrested on a charge of driving under the influence has pleaded not guilty to that charge. In a very short arraignment hearing Thursday at the Hughes County Courthouse Jeremiah Erickson entered that not guilty plea through his attorney Brad Schreiber. Erickson was not in court to make the plea, however Sixth Circuit Judge Tara Adamski informed Schreiber she would expect Erickson to be present in court if the plea changed or absent with advance notice to the Court. To avoid any conflict of interest with the Hughes County State’s Attorney’s Office, the South Dakota Office of the Attorney General is prosecuting the case. A status hearing in the case was set for early June. Erickson was off-duty when he was arrested following a crash in late March. A Hughes County deputy responding to the crash suspected alcohol use by Erickson and requested the Highway Patrol to conduct a D-U-I investigation. Erickson was placed on administrative leave by the Pierre Police Department.
