Coralville man reportedly admitted to driving while intoxicated by using officer bodycam to confess
Hunter
09/13/21
A Coralville man’s admission to driving while intoxicated won’t be disputed after he used the arresting officer’s body camera to confess.
An officer observed 33-year-old Michael Cooper of Holiday Road near 2nd Street and 12th Avenue just before 1 am Sunday and from previous interactions with him knew his driving status was suspended. Cooper’s vehicle continued eastbound on 2nd Street and drifted right until it struck a curb. After confirming his driver’s status, the officer conducted a traffic stop on Cooper.
An odor of ingested alcohol was detected, and Cooper allegedly informed the officer that he shouldn’t have been driving. Field sobriety testing showed measurable impairment, and a PBT showed his blood-alcohol level above the legal limit. While being arrested for OWI, Cooper reportedly grabbed the officer’s body cam, pointed to his face, and began telling the camera that he shouldn’t have been driving because he was too intoxicated.
A post-arrest Datamaster test showed his blood-alcohol level at .148 percent.
Cooper was charged with his second OWI, and driving while suspended. He faces a jail sentence of up to two years if convicted.