Civil Liberties

Libertarian Captures Constitutional Violations at DUI Checkpoint

They sicced the drug-sniffing dogs on him, but had to let him go

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A video of Rutherford County deputies stopping a Middle Tennessee State University student at a DUI checkpoint, then asking him to pull over and searching his car after he wouldn't roll the window all the way down, is nearing 2 million hits on YouTube.

Libertarians nationwide have been recording interactions with police in a campaign to demonstrate what they call violations of constitutional rights. A party representative said Chris Kalbaugh, 21, checked in and got the go-ahead for such a demonstration before he stopped at the checkpoint and encountered Rutherford County Sheriff's Deputy A.J. Ross.

Kalbaugh's video camera was recording from the passenger seat, aimed toward the driver's side window.

In the video, Ross asks Kalbaugh to roll down his window farther, and Kalbaugh refuses, saying it's fine where it is. When Kalbaugh continues to challenge Ross' demands, Ross orders him to pull his car over and step out. Later, a drug dog searches the outside of car, then inside.