WJ councilman not disciplined after incident near bar


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WEST JORDAN — Additional information about a West Jordan city councilman who was issued a ticket after leaving the scene of an accident July 19 reveal the local leader was having a bad day.

Councilman Jeff Haaga, who was ticketed but not arrested by South Jordan police after officers responded to a hit-and-run call, had “five steins of beer and a shot” in his system when police found him between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. MDT, according to a second police report obtained by KSL TV.

New cellphone video also shows the councilman’s altercation with three men after he attempted to drive away from a crash after drinking at the Black Sheep Bar & Grill, 1520 W. 9000 South. Haaga was not arrested for DUI, even though officers admit he showed multiple signs of intoxication, including slow, labored speech, talking in circles and repeating himself.

West Jordan Police Chief Doug Diamond has a different take on how this should have been played out by the responding officers.

“From the video, it appears that Mr. Haaga was intoxicated,” Diamond confirmed. “In this case, I would have at least asked him to do some field sobriety tests.”

After nearly a full hour of exchanges between officers and the councilman, no field sobriety test was offered.

Diamond admits there were a lot of factors in play during the investigation, and he isn’t certain he wouldn’t have made the same call in the situation.

But he is sure of one thing.

“I would have taken the investigation a little bit further,” he said. “Is he under the influence? Can he operate a motor vehicle? And if the answer is no, he didn’t perform well enough on the field sobriety tests, then yes, I would have arrested him.”

The decision not to administer a field sobriety test is at the discretion of each individual field officer. South Jordan police say Haaga’s elected position had nothing to do with their decision.

Haaga currently holds his position on the West Jordan City Council, and city officials say no disciplinary action has been taken against him because it would be illegal.

Utah does not allow recall elections. Because Haaga was elected, the only way for him to be removed from his seat would be by resignation or a civil complaint.

“Some taxpayer or citizen would have to file a complaint in district court alleging malfeasance, high crime or the misdemeanor and then it would be heard by a judge,” West Jordan city attorney David Brickey told KSL.

If those complaints are filed and Haaga is convicted — a legal process that could take up to a year, he could potentially be stripped of his council seat.

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Nicole Vowell

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