Tennessee Highway Patrol Under Fire for Charging Dozens of Sober Drivers With DUI, and Its a Nationwide Problem
Over the past few years, courts have dismissed dozens of DUI arrests by Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers because the drivers were sober. And they aren’t alone.
Did you know that all over the country, it is legal for police to charge people with DUI even if they pass field sobriety tests or a breathalyzer test? Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers do.
According to a recent report by WSMV News, a single Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper in Bedford County had 41 DUI arrests dismissed. In 22 of those cases, the drivers had no alcohol or drugs in their system or were within legal limits.
A Tennessee Bureau of Investigation report shows that law enforcement officers made at least 25 DUI arrests in four districts in Tennessee that resulted in no substance being detected. Five other districts had more than 10.
Police officers across multiple states are arresting sober drivers for DUI
A previous WSMV News report found that this isn’t just a Tennessee problem. Police across multiple states are arresting sober drivers for DUI despite their having no alcohol or drugs in their systems.
In Tennessee, law enforcement has arrested more than 2,500 people for DUI, whose bloodwork later showed no alcohol or drugs. However, WSMV News discovered that authorities are arresting sober drivers for DUI in a total of 22 states, and people are now suing. In one case, in Iowa, William Penn University football player Tayvin Galanakis is suing the Newton Police Department for arresting him for DUI while sober, even after he blew zero on a breath test.
