CAPE GIRARDEAU (SMNS) -- A
federal jury Thursday awarded $250,000 to a federal agent who sued a state
trooper, alleging false arrest and false imprisonment, the agent's attorney
reported Friday.
Ryan Becker of Jackson, a
special agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, sued
trooper D.W. Crank of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, claiming Crank
violated his civil rights by arresting him without probable cause.
On March 6, 2012, Becker was
driving on Interstate 55 in New Madrid County when he saw Crank's vehicle
parked at the side of the road, said Becker's attorney, Stephen Walsh of Poplar
Bluff.
As Becker was driving, a pair
of tractor-trailers in front of him tried to move over, presumably to stay out
of Crank's way, but one braked quickly in front of Becker, Walsh said.
Crank pulled Becker over,
telling him he was following the truck too closely and had almost hit it, Walsh
said.
He said Crank then told Becker,
"You reek of alcohol."
But Walsh said in court that
Crank testified he could not smell alcohol coming from Becker's mouth and that
Becker did not appear physically or mentally impaired.
According to the lawsuit, Crank
took Becker to his patrol car, where Becker declined to participate in field
sobriety tests.
Walsh said an
"incredulous" Becker told Crank he had just left work and asked Crank
to call his supervisors and then to give him a portable breath test, which
Crank refused to do, instead handcuffing Becker and taking him to the New
Madrid County Jail.
About 30 minutes later, Becker
was given a breath test, which returned a blood alcohol level of zero, the
lawsuit stated.
In the suit, Becker alleged
Crank arrested him without probable cause, violating his Fourth Amendment right
to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.
The suit also claimed Crank
misused the handcuffs, causing pain to Becker's wrist and shoulder; caused
emotional harm and distress; and damaged his professional reputation.
The jury verdict was not
immediately available on the federal court website, pacer.gov.
