A sheriff’s deputy rolled through a stop sign and crashed into another driver — 25-year-old Tanya Weyker — breaking her neck in four places.
Unbelievably, police arrested Weyker for drunk driving — even though she was sober, and even though they soon obtained surveillance video proving the deputy was at fault.
It took a year for Weyker to definitively clear her name, and she still hasn’t been reimbursed by the county for damages to her vehicle and medical expenses, according to FOX 40.
Joseph Quiles, a Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, sheriff’s deputy, caused the accident at night in February of 2013, when he rolled through a stop sign, T-boning Weyker.
Quiles was soon joined by another officer at the crash scene. Weyker was injured so badly that it was impossible for officers to administer a field sobriety test. She told the officers that she had consumed a few sips of alcohol from a friend’s cup, and was previously taking medication after having her wisdom teeth removed. The officers considered this to be enough information to charge her with drunk driving.
In Quiles’ report, he claimed that he stopped at the sign, and the accident was Weyker’s fault.
Within two days, authorities received video proof that the crash had been Quiles fault. They did not drop the charges, however. The county even wrote letters to Weyker demanding that she pay for all the damages to both cars.
Five months later, test results proved that Weyker was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the arrest. Still, it took another five months for prosecutors to drop the charges against her.
Luckily for Weyker, Quiles eventually contradicted his original statements and indicated that he was at fault for the crash. He was suspended for nine days because he damaged county equipment, but was never disciplined for giving a false statement.
Quiles was on medical leave for months following the crash, and has applied for permanent medical leave. While he is no longer on duty, it’s unclear whether the county will continue to pay him.
Weyker — a cancer survivor with a spotless driving record — may have been vindicated, but she hasn’t yet been repaid for all she suffered. A planned lawsuit against the officer who arrested her may change that, however.
“Lots of people are too afraid to stick up for themselves against someone in such high power,” she said in a statement.