Man Sues Cop for False DUI Arrest

By Jordan Quinley

Published on October 30, 2007

The man, Noel Martinez, has proposed a class-action lawsuit claiming that he was arrested for DUI on June 7 even though he hadn’t even been driving. According to the suit, the officer, John Haleas, stopped Martinez after he exited a tavern in Chicago and handcuffed and arrested him when he walked to his car to use his cell phone. According to Martinez, he had not even put his keys in the ignition. Martinez also said that no sobriety test was administered until after they had reached the Grand Central District Police Station.

Martinez’s attorney, Jon Erickson, says that Haleas has manufactured false charges and lied under oath in hundreds of cases.

John Haleas, who has been honored as a leading officer in the state in the number of DUI arrests logged, claims in the reports filed on the case that Martinez was driving and refused to take a breath test.

The Law Department did not comment.

According to police, Haleas has been given one-day suspension and assigned to desk duty.

Others arrested by Haleas may join the lawsuit proposed by Martinez.

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