419 sober drivers in Tennessee arrested for DUI in 2024, according to TBI
Data from TBI shows most sober DUI arrests made by THP troopers, WSMV4 Investigates finds.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - New data released Monday by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation shows 419 sober drivers were arrested for DUI in Tennessee in 2024, the highest number of wrongful arrests in a single year since WSMV4 Investigates first started obtaining the data.
The release of the data is the latest development in our “Sobering Problem” investigations, which have exposed how innocent drivers in Tennessee have been arrested for DUI.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol made the most sober DUI arrests of any police agency in the state, with 180 total arrests of people who later tested negative for alcohol and drugs.
Within THP regions, the Knoxville area led with 41 sober arrests, followed by the Nashville region with 37.
| AGENCY | NO SUBSTANCES DETECTED |
|---|---|
| Total for 2024 | 419 |
| Alcoa PD |
2 |
| Algood P.D. |
1 |
| Athens P.D. |
2 |
| Atoka P.D. |
1 |
| Bean Station P.D. |
1 |
| Blount Co. S.D. |
4 |
| Bluff City P.D. |
1 |
| Bristol P.D. |
2 |
| Centerville P.D. |
1 |
| Chattanooga P.D. |
1 |
| Claiborne Co. S.D. |
1 |
| Clarksville P.D. |
7 |
| Clay Co. S.D. |
1 |
| Cocke Co. S.D. |
1 |
| Coffee Co. S.D. |
1 |
| Collegedale P.D. |
1 |
| Collinwood P.D. |
1 |
| Columbia P.D. |
2 |
| Cookeville P.D. |
1 |
| Cowan P.D. |
1 |
| Cumberland Co. S.D. |
1 |
| Dayton P.D. |
1 |
| Dickson P.D. |
4 |
| Dyersburg P.D. |
2 |
| East Ridge P.D. |
5 |
| Estill Springs P.D. |
1 |
| Ethridge P.D. |
1 |
| Fayette Co. S.D. |
1 |
| Franklin P.D. |
3 |
| Gadsden P.D. |
1 |
| Gallatin P.D. |
2 |
| Gleason P.D. |
1 |
| Goodlettsville P.D. |
1 |
| Gordonsville P.D. |
1 |
| Greenbrier P.D. |
3 |
| Greeneville P.D. |
1 |
| Hamilton Co. S.D. |
6 |
| Hendersonville P.D. |
3 |
| Huntingdon P.D. |
1 |
| Jasper P.D. |
3 |
| Jefferson City P.D. |
1 |
| Jefferson Co. S.D. |
1 |
| Johnson City P.D. |
2 |
| Kingsport P.D. |
4 |
| Knox Co. S.D. |
2 |
| Knoxville P.D. |
6 |
| Lafayette P.D. |
2 |
| LaFollette P.D. |
1 |
| Lavergne P.D. |
11 |
| Lebanon P.D. |
2 |
| Lenoir City P.D. |
1 |
| Lexington P.D. |
2 |
| Livingston P.D. |
1 |
| Loudon Co. S.D. |
1 |
| Loudon P.D. |
2 |
| Madison Co. S.D. |
7 |
| Madisonville P.D. |
2 |
| Marion Co. S.D. |
2 |
| Marshall Co. S.D. |
1 |
| Maryville P.D. |
2 |
| McKenzie P.D. |
1 |
| McMinnville P.D. |
1 |
| Memphis P.D. |
1 |
| Millersville P.D. |
1 |
| Montgomery Co. S.D. |
1 |
| Morristown P.D. |
3 |
| Mt. Juliet P.D. |
7 |
| MTSU P.D. |
1 |
| Murfreesboro P.D. |
7 |
| Oak Ridge P.D. |
1 |
| Pigeon Forge P.D. |
1 |
| Portland P.D. |
1 |
| Putnam Co. S.D. |
3 |
| Robertson Co. S.D. |
5 |
| Rutherford Co. S.D. |
6 |
| Savannah P.D. |
1 |
| Selmer P.D. |
1 |
| Sevierville P.D. |
6 |
| Smyrna P.D. |
2 |
| South Pittsburg P.D. |
1 |
| Spring Hill P.D. |
1 |
| Springfield P.D. |
2 |
| Sullivan Co. S.D. |
1 |
| Sumner Co S.D. |
16 |
| Tazewell P.D. |
2 |
| Tellico Plains P.D. |
1 |
| THP - Chattanooga, Dist. 2 |
17 |
| THP - Cookeville, Dist. 6 |
6 |
| THP - Fall Branch, Dist. 5 |
9 |
| THP - Jackson, Dist. 8 |
40 |
| THP - Knoxville, Dist. 1 |
41 |
| THP - Lawrenceburg, Dist. 7 |
25 |
| THP - Memphis, Dist. 4 |
15 |
| THP - Nashville, Dist. 3 |
37 |
| Tipton Co. S.D. |
1 |
| Trousdale Co. S.D. |
1 |
| Tullahoma P.D. |
2 |
| TWRA District 12 |
1 |
| Union City P.D. |
2 |
| University of TN P.D. - Knoxville |
3 |
| Warren Co. S.D. |
2 |
| Washington Co. S.D. |
5 |
| Waynesboro P.D. |
1 |
| Weakley Co. S.D. |
2 |
| White Co. S.D. |
1 |
| White House P.D. |
1 |
| Williamson Co. S.D. |
1 |
| Wilson Co. S.D. |
Stephen Smart, who was arrested by a state trooper for DUI in Knoxville, said the wrongful charge depleted his savings, given that he had to pay $10,500 to his attorney.
“Oh, obviously, it hurt a lot. You know, I mean, I had a little bit in savings, you know, and I had to put the rest on a credit card,” Smart said. “I mean, I pretty much wiped my whole savings out. And then I just had to start back over, you know.”
Smart’s blood work showed he was negative for alcohol and drugs. Smart was arrested in 2025, indicating the problem continues beyond the 2024 data.
Legislative response
The data release follows legislation passed by Sen. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, that requires the TBI to compile and release sober DUI arrest numbers each year.
“I think this just confirms that something does need to be done about, you know, these improper DUI arrests,” Akbari said. “Certainly a significant jump going up to over 400 people.”
