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Police Release Bodycam Footage to Dispute Teen’s Claim She Escaped DUI and Is Going on Date With Officer
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office released footage on April 4 to dispute a video circulating online in which a woman claims she blew a 3.8 blood alcohol count but was let off by a deputy with whom she claimed she’d set up a date. In the footage, the woman is first seen drinking from a bottle, before doing gymnastics in a corridor. The footage then shows her talking to the camera, claiming that the deputy let her off with a warning, gave her his phone number, and that the two were to have lunch the next day. “We also have a video that disputes her claims,” the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said. “At 4:41 a.m. on Saturday, April 2, Deputy Stahl stopped a vehicle for weaving near the intersection of [West] Bowles and [South] Holland,” police said. “The 18-year-old female from the aforementioned video was driving and was the sole occupant of the vehicle. The deputy’s body worn camera video captures his entire contact with her, including the reason he stopped her. When he asked if she had been drinking, she said ‘no.’ She also did not slur her speech, nor did the deputy smell alcohol on her or witness any other physical signs of intoxication. There was no evidence of alcohol in the vehicle. Therefore, he did not conduct any tests for DUI, including administering a breathalyzer. “Instead, the deputy cleared her name for any warrants, verified the vehicle’s license plate which came back clear, and issued the driver a warning for weaving. Prior to releasing the driver, in compliance with Colorado law, the deputy handed her a business card upon which he had written his name, badge number, and ‘South’ for our South Precinct. He also wrote ‘LNR Weaving’ for Lecture and Release. Nowhere on the card was the deputy’s phone number. “We appreciate the public’s interest in ensuring our deputy acted appropriately and we assure you, he did.” Denver7 reported that it had interviewed the woman, who did not want to show her face, but was quoted as saying, “I’m not gonna lie to the news… I’ve already lied enough, but I was intoxicated,” and also, “I thought I was being funny. I was like, ‘Oh my God, look at me. I just got out. I’m surprised I didn’t get arrested!’ but I’m so deeply sorry.’” Credit: Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office via Storyful
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