Woman suing State Patrol for false imprisonment

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A woman who fought off vehicular homicide charges after successfully arguing that Washington State Patrol troopers made false statements to obtain search warrants is now suing the state agency in federal court.

The Spokesman-Review reports that 29-year-old Melissa A. Paul filed the civil lawsuit in Spokane.

The lawsuit alleges State Patrol Sgt. Scott Davis and Troopers Joseph Leibrecht and Robert Spencer lied in reports that ultimately led to Paul's three-month stint behind bars.

She is also alleging the troopers violated her Fourth Amendment right through false imprisonment and malicious prosecution.

The criminal charges against Paul were dropped in December 2017.

Her lawsuit contends troopers wrote that Paul showed signs of intoxication after a deadly collision. But dash cam video obtained by her defense attorney showed otherwise.

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Information from: The Spokesman-Review, http://www.spokesman.com