14 DAY TRIAL // A 64-year-old, retired firefighter from Surprise, Arizona was arrested and charged with DUI even though he was completely sober, as evidenced by all the tests conducted by the police officers on the scene. Jessie Thornton is now suing the police department for harassment.
Speaking with ABC 17 (video below), Mr. Thornton explains that, on the day of the arrest, he’d been swimming at the pool at the local gym for about 2 hours, to get his hip relaxed for an upcoming hip replacement surgery.
He had bloodshot eyes because of the water in the pool, which was why the cops who pulled him over decided that he was drunk.
This, despite the fact that a breathalyzer, field sobriety tests and, later on, blood tests revealed that he had not touched a drop of alcohol.
The charge was eventually dropped but, for having been arrested, handcuffed and processed in the first place, Mr. Thornton is taking the police department to court. He says his real crime was that of “driving while black.”