State Trooper was Every Drunk Driver's Dream

A former state trooper named Brandon Titus proved a friend indeed to an intoxicated female driver a year ago—and landed himself a conviction for obstruction of justice in a courtroom in Tippecanoe, Indiana, this week. But there may have been more to his kindness than met the eye. Titus stopped the speeding woman—identified only as "TD"—last July and required her to take a breathalyzer test. She blew a 0.16—double the legal limit. But as 28-year-old Titus admitted, he then decided to destroy her ticket—which his machine had automatically produced—and reported over the radio that his captive had passed the test. The woman later complained that for some reason she had been made to remain in Titus's patrol car for "an extended period." Investigators found a possible clue to Titus's generosity on his in-car computer—he had downloaded no fewer than 34 photographs of TD from Facebook. The compassionate ex-cop has yet to be sentenced—a hearing is scheduled for August 30, to allow further investigation—but he may well experience leniency similar to that which he dealt out himself. He's poised to receive just six months' probation for his offense if his plea deal is accepted—the usual penalty ranges from six months to three years in jail.