ANDERSON — A judge dropped DUI charges against a former Pickens police officer Wednesday.

Irving “Rocky” Simmons appeared in court to face trial for charges stemming from a 2008 incident. However the state trooper who cited him did not show up, prompting the judge to drop the case.

Simmons was off duty when he crashed his patrol car around 2 a.m. New Year’s morning 2008, according to a spokesperson with the S.C. Highway Patrol.

Police said the former officer ran off the right shoulder of the road, overcorrected, crossed the road and hit a tree.

The accident occurred just inside the Anderson County line, on Zion Church Road, said Lance Cpl. Kathy Hiles with the S.C. Highway Patrol.

Simmons was not seriously injured in the accident and was taken to the Anderson County Detention Center after being charged with DUI, she said.

He was the only person in the car, Hiles said.

Following his arrest, Simmons was fired from his job with the Pickens Police Department where he was a patrol officer working advance DUI cases.