Jury awards $250,000 to ATF agent over trooper's arrest

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, Missouri.

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.