Tort Report

Drunken driver sues Tempe police after crash

Given the state’s tough DUI laws, many drivers would be happy if police cut them a break, let them off the hook and sent them home for the night. But 21-year-old Korie Hoke isn’t one of them.

Hoke filed a lawsuit last week against Tempe and its police department, claiming her drunken-driving collision and resulting injuries could have been prevented if not for police negligence.

Hoke left a New Year’s Eve party on Dec. 31 intoxicated and distraught after an argument left her fearing for her safety, according to the suit filed in Maricopa County Superior Court.

Hoke called Tempe police from the party after she found her boyfriend cheating on her.

She told police dispatchers that her boyfriend, the other woman and friends were following her, and she feared for her safety.

Officer Lateef Hampton arrived on the scene just after 3 a.m. to find Hoke hysterical and sitting in the driver’s seat of the car, crying and talking on her cell phone, according to a taped interview that Hampton gave to one of Hoke’s attorneys in March.

The tape was released by the Tempe Police Department.

Hampton said he found several people surrounding the car and trying to get Hoke to open the door, which she refused to do, even for the officer.

Hampton said he eventually persuaded her to open the door.

Hoke admitted to drinking, and others at the party said most guests had been drinking. Hampton said he cited her for underage drinking because she was 20 at the time but did not conduct field sobriety tests or otherwise try to determine her blood-alcohol content.

He said he didn’t think she would be driving because both the boyfriend and Hoke told him the boyfriend took her keys. The boyfriend left soon after Hampton arrived.

Hampton said he tried to make sure Hoke didn’t have any keys.

He had her empty her purse, and he searched the seats and other areas of the car and couldn’t find any keys.

“Obviously, my main concern was for her driving — her level of intoxication. So I wanted to make sure she didn’t have those keys anywhere on her,” Hampton said.

She called her parents to pick her up, and Hampton said he also spoke to her parents, who assured him they would be right there.

Read full story [East Valley Tribune]

Three Strikes for Judge Fancy Pants

First he lost his pants, then his frivolous lawsuit. Now Administrative Court Judge Roy L. Pearson Jr. has lost his job. Pearson was booted this week from his $100,000 job and asked to clear out of his office by the end of business, Tuesday.

This story's coverage was subterranean compared to the international notoriety of the $54 plus million lawsuit he filed against a Washington D.C. area dry cleaner. Pearson lost that lawsuit while the Korean couple closed their business.  His appeal is now pending, his job is not.

Was the lawsuit linked to Judge Pearson’s dismissal? Apparently the 57-year-old Pearsons' two year job ended last May, right around the time of all of the adverse publicity. At that time he retained a job working as an attorney adviser.   

Judge Pearson was under consideration for a longer 10-year term, but a judicial committee voted against him.

Read full story [injuryboard.com]