Former Utah Trooper Being Sued For False DUI Arrests

A former Utah Highway Patrol trooper is being sued for allegedly filing dozens of false DUI charges over the span of her ten year career.

Former Corporal Steed started out with a very promising career. In 2007, Lisa Steed was voted Trooper of the Year and was well respected by her colleagues and superiors. Five years later, everything she had worked toward fell apart. By November of 2012, she was fired as allegations of misconduct started pouring in.

Attorneys representing two men claiming to have been falsely arrested have stated that at least ten people that they are aware of have been in contact with FBI agents. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Steed’s attorney, Greg Skordas, denies any knowledge of an FBI investigation. He further states that Steed’s crimes were minor and that they would be appealing her loss of employment.

As reported by The New York Times, Former Corporal Steed had been warned in a memo in 2010. A Highway Patrol sergeant, after reviewing a number of Steed’s arrests, felt the need to remind her about procedures concerning probable cause. The sergeant cited credibility with the court.

The problems for Steed started to get serious last April when a Davis County attorney and a Salt Lake County attorney both stated that they would refuse to prosecute any charges which Steed filed or was witness to.

Attorney Studebaker, representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against Steed, voiced his concern about the sheer number of alleged false arrests:

“The 40 or so individuals that have contacted us have to be the tip of the iceberg because Steed arrested many other people. Her actions are so blatant, that it is probable that she acted like this in an untold number of cases.”

Authorities have stated that it is too early in the investigation, and there are no known criminal charges pending against the former trooper for her allegedly false DUI arrests.