Brickbat: Drunk With Power

Asa Pearl, a former Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) trooper, had 41 DUI arrests dismissed in Bedford County. Of those cases—which occurred between 2021 and 2024, when Pearl resigned—22 were tossed because tests showed the drivers had no drugs or alcohol in their systems, or blood alcohol levels within legal limits. The others were thrown out for various reasons, like Pearl not showing up for court. Even though a local TV news investigation found the THP makes the most DUI arrests of sober drivers of all law enforcement agencies in the area, the head of the agency recently testified before state lawmakers that he doesn't believe those drivers were actually sober.