Disturbance leads to Raleigh cop's arrest

At about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, officers answered a call about a domestic-related disturbance in the 10800 block of Heather Meadow Lane at the Columns at Wakefield, an upscale apartment complex, police said.

Caruana was charged with assault, assault by pointing a gun and communicating threats and was transported to the Wake County jail.

Caruana was off duty at the time of the incident, and his department-issued weapon was not involved in the matter, Police Chief Harry Dolan said in a statement.

Neighbors with whom WRAL News spoke said Caruana was a likable person.

"He was a nice guy. He was a good guy,” neighbor Azi Eshraghi said.

They also said Caruana loved his job, but was going through a rough time and that he and his wife had separated.

"They had some problems and things like that,” neighbor Mehran Charkhesht said.

Caruana joined the Raleigh Police Department on June 4, 2000, and holds the rank of senior officer. He was most recently assigned to the department's Gang Suppression Unit.

In 2003, Caruana shot a an 18-year-old suspect whom police said charged at Caruana and another officer with a knife. The suspect was later charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a government officer.

Tuesday's dispute that led to the charges was not related to Caruana’s law enforcement duties, Dolan said.

An administrative process will determine the department’s appropriate course of action from a personnel standpoint, the chief said. He did not say whether Caruana has been suspended. However, in situations such as this, officers are typically placed on administrative duty, a police official said.

Caruana was no longer being held in the Wake County Jail and could not be reached for comment Wednesday evening.