Bradley Nurkin, president of Northeast Georgia Medical Center, has been charged with DUI after an Oct. 27 incident in which he crashed into a DOT sign, mailbox and culvert.

A trooper was called to a crash around 1:40 a.m. on Georgia 283 south of Shirley Road.

He found a 2007 Jeep Wrangler Sahara that had left the travel lane, struck a DOT sign, a mailbox and then a culvert pipe, the Georgia State Patrol said.

The trooper detected an odor of an alcoholic beverage and performed a field sobriety test on Nurkin.

Following the tests, Nurkin was placed under arrest for driving under the influence.

He was charged with DUI because of his refusal to take a blood test, failing to maintain lane and no insurance, according to law enforcement.

It is Georgia state law that a refusal to take a chemical test could result in the automatic suspension of one’s license for at least one year.

Northeast Georgia Medical Center issued a brief statement in response.

“Brad Nurkin notified NGHS Administration immediately following the incident. NGHS does not condone driving under the influence under any circumstances. NGHS recognizes this is a personal, legal issue that Brad is working through,” it said in the release.

Nurkin was named president of the hospital in August.