State Trooper was Every Drunk Driver's Dream

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A former state trooper named BrandonTitus proved a friend indeed to an intoxicated female driver a year ago—and landed himself a conviction for obstruction of justice in a courtroom in Tippecanoe, Indiana, this week. But there may have been more to his kindness than met the eye. Titus stopped the speeding woman—identified only as "TD"—last July and required her to take a breathalyzer test. She blew a 0.16—double the legal limit. But as 28-year-old Titus admitted, he then decided to destroy her ticket—which his machine had automatically produced—and reported over the radio that his captive had passed the test. The woman later complained that for some reason she had been made to remain in Titus's patrol car for "an extended period." Investigators found a possible clue to Titus's generosity on his in-car computer—he had downloaded no fewer than 34 photographs of TD from Facebook. The compassionate ex-cop has yet to be sentenced—a hearing is scheduled for August 30, to allow further investigation—but he may well experience leniency similar to that which he dealt out himself. He's poised to receive just six months' probation for his offense if his plea deal is accepted—the usual penalty ranges from six months to three years in jail.

Will Godfrey is the former editor-in-chief of TheFix. He was also the founding editor-in-chief of Substance.com, and previously co-founded a magazine for prisoners in London. His work has appeared in Salon, Pacific Standard, AlterNet and The Nation among others. He is currently the Executive Director at FILTER. You can find Will on Linkedin and Twitter.

This SoCal rehab fosters a regimented but respectful recovery environment, where teens learn how to live sober through plenty of 12-step meetings and life-skills classes—not to mention "equine-assisted psychotherapy" and mixed martial arts.

Alumni of The Clearing praise the non-12 step approach which focuses on "self-counseling skills" and "learning how to love yourself" while you heal in a historic, fully restored farmhouse surrounded by the natural beauty of San Juan Island.

This laid-back Malibu beachfront rehab charts a holistic path to recovery, which suits the twenty- and thirtysomethings who come here—you just might have to clock a few extra miles on the sand to burn off Chef Monte’s hearty home-cooking.

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