At a glance
A jury determined a student was wrongfully arrested for DUI despite a breath test showing zero alcohol, awarding $105,000 in damages against law enforcement.
A jury determined that a college student was wrongfully arrested for driving under the influence despite a breathalyzer showing zero alcohol content. The arrest violated the Constitution's probable cause requirement, and the jury awarded $105,000 in damages against the law enforcement agency. The case turns on a straightforward fact: the evidence clearly showed he wasn't impaired, but he was arrested anyway.
This is a clean-cut civil rights violation. The test said zero alcohol, which means no legal basis for arrest existed. Yet the arrest happened anyway, leading to prosecution and the personal and financial costs that come with being arrested. The $105,000 is what the jury determined was fair compensation. For the department, it's a public loss and an expensive reminder that arrests require actual evidence, not just suspicion. These cases typically deter future groundless arrests because agencies have to pay the price.
Citation trail
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