The Volunteer State has been under a microscope lately after police across the state arrested over 600 drivers for a DUI despite being perfectly sober since 2017. Jeff Adams was one of the many who, despite never sipping alcohol, was arrested for driving drunk.

Adams, a middle school teacher in Goodlettsville was pulled over in September of 2023, with officers saying they suspected he was driving drunk. Adams was recorded on one of the responding off-duty officer’s cell phone saying, “I don’t drink.”

He was asked to participate in a field sobriety test, which he agreed to do under duress. Adams was recovering from a recent hip replacement, and he knew he was in trouble.

“Little did I know, as soon as I got out of the car, I was going to jail because he seemed very excited that I offered to do a field sobriety test” Adams told FOX 17. An officer started to put him in handcuffs, and he asked for a breathalyzer test, reinforcing he wasn’t drunk.

Unsurprisingly, his blood test results proved he was sober

From behind bars, Adams underwent a blood draw to prove his innocence. Five months later, it showed no drugs or alcohol of any kind were detected in his system. The entire process was incredibly stressful, he said, as he worried it would affect his career.

“I’ve had less than five traffic infractions in my whole life,” he said. “And then to be arrested for DUI, and have to explain that to your own kids, and worry about it getting out to the school system… It was the most stressful, most traumatic experience I ever had.”

Once he had the results, he pursued the department legally, saying the arrest violated his constitutional rights. He demanded a $75,000 settlement, but was paid $5,000 by the department to “avoid a lawsuit.”

Adams said he accepted the small amount to quickly put his experience behind him.