Apology from Goodlettsville Police Chief
Chief Gary Goodwin of Goodlettsville Police Department issued an apology for the wrongful arrest of three innocent individuals for DUI. He expressed deep regret and frustration over the situation, acknowledging the harm done to those wrongly accused.
Investigation Uncovers Multiple False DUI Arrests
A WSMV4 investigation revealed that multiple DUI arrests made by a single officer, Noah Werner, were dismissed. The investigation found a pattern of wrongful arrests, including the case of Jeff Adams, a teacher from Brentwood, who was arrested despite being sober.
Impact on Innocent Drivers
Jeff Adams, arrested while on his way to work, underwent a field sobriety test and was later subjected to a blood draw, which showed no presence of alcohol or drugs. The wrongful arrest caused significant emotional and financial damage, including suspension from his Uber job, resulting in a loss of $15,000 in potential earnings.
Officer’s Controversial Arrests
Officer Noah Werner has a history of arresting sober individuals for DUI, with at least three cases being dismissed. Despite the lack of evidence, Werner reported signs of impairment in these drivers. Goodlettsville Police Department is now reviewing these cases to identify and correct procedural issues.
Broader Issue Across Midstate
The investigation found that the problem of sober individuals being arrested for DUI is not isolated to Goodlettsville. Due to a backlog at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) for alcohol and toxicology reports, some innocent drivers have waited up to eight months for their results.
Police Department’s Response
The Goodlettsville Police Department is reviewing its field sobriety testing procedures in response to these incidents. Chief Goodwin emphasized the challenge of balancing the need to arrest real drunk drivers while avoiding wrongful arrests of sober individuals. The department aims to implement changes to prevent future occurrences of similar incidents.
