Arizona Watcher
Jesse Cunningham, a Fort Collins military veteran, stopped to help after witnessing a vehicle crash while traveling with his family and was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Cunningham told officers he had two beers hours earlier and volunteered for field sobriety tests; he was not given a roadside breathalyzer and later submitted to a blood draw.
Laboratory testing of Cunningham’s blood showed no alcohol or drugs; the criminal charges were dismissed and he pursued a civil lawsuit against the city.
Cunningham’s civil case was resolved with a $500,000 settlement; the agreement includes a nondisparagement clause preventing him from making negative statements about the police department.
Attorney Sarah Schielke says she represents four other people arrested by the same officer under similar circumstances; in all five cases charges were dismissed after breath or blood tests refuted impairment.
Local review found Officer Jason Haferman was linked to multiple DUI arrests with negative lab tests; he resigned in December 2022 before planned termination and is no longer certified as a Colorado peace officer.
A Colorado military veteran has secured a $500,000 settlement after he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence following a crash he witnessed, even though his blood test showed no alcohol. The case joins four others alleging similar arrests by the same officer;…