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SALT LAKE CITY — Corporal Lisa Steed, the first woman named as Utah Highway Patrol trooper of the year in 2007, has been fired amid allegations of misconduct.
Steed, who made a career of pulling over alleged drunk drivers, is accused of falsifying police reports by claiming sober drivers were drunk.
Julie Tapia says she was sober when pulled over by Steed. Steed said she failed her field sobriety test but Tapia's lawsuit claims blood tests show no presence of drugs or alcohol in her system. The charges were dismissed.
She continually, regularly charged innocent people with a serious crime driving under the influence on a regular institutional basis for years.
–Bob Sykes, attorney
"I'm glad for this, justice will be served I'm sure," Tapia said.
With complaints from more than 40 people who claim they were falsely arrested by Steed , Attorney Bob Sykes says a multi-million dollar class action lawsuit will soon be filed against the former trooper and the Utah Highway Patrol.
"It's a terrible abuse of power," Sykes said.
The UHP is not commenting on the case, but Sykes says for at least two years, they were aware of Steed's alleged misconduct.
In a memo obtained by the local news agencies, a fellow officer warns Steed's reports could threaten the DUI squad's credibility.
"11 out of 20 arrests showed no impairing drug in the system. Four of them had nothing at all," read the memo written by a fellow officer.
She's taken thousands of drunk drivers off of the road. Very few of those cases have been reduced or dismissed. That doesn't mean that she didn't act fairly.
–Greg Skordas, Steed's attorney
"She continually, regularly charged innocent people with a serious crime driving under the influence on a regular institutional basis for years," Sykes said. "Despite the fact that her superiors knew she was doing it."
Today, Steed is appealing her termination. Her attorney says she's one of Utah's top cops.
"She's taken thousands of drunk drivers off of the road," said Greg Skordas, Steed's attorney. "Very few of those cases have been reduced or dismissed. That doesn't mean that she didn't act fairly."
A review board is expected to hear Trooper Steed's appeal over her termination in the coming months.
