Source: Good 4 Utah
The Alliance For A Better Utah called for West Jordan City Councilman Jeff Haaga to resign after he was cited for leaving the scene of an accident.
The incident allegedly occurred at the Black Sheep Bar & Grill on 9000 South July 19th when witnesses say Councilman Haaga was intoxicated and backed into a parked car while leaving.
Because of a conflict of interest West Jordan Police turned the case over to the South Jordan Police Department. A pair of their officers located the Councilman at his home an hour later.
“I was baffled,” Haaga is heard saying on an officer’s body camera recording. “They said I hit something.”
The Councilman admitted to drinking at the bar earlier then driving home.
“I turn my key on, turn my key in, came home,” Haaga told the officers.
Because they found him at his house and not the scene officers say they were unable to charge him with Driving Under the Influence but they knew it was an issue.
“We were this close to arresting you for DUI,” an officer tells Haaga.
Throughout the lengthy conversation, Haaga informed the officers several times of his position.
“You know I’m a councilman, right?” Haaga asks them.
Haaga tells the officers that as an elected official he has “protection”. West Jordan City Attorney David Brickey says that’s not the case.
“They do not have diplomatic immunity,” Brickey told ABC4 Utah News. “They don’t have special status. They have to comply with the laws and the rules that you and I and everybody else in the state of Utah has to follow.”
On Friday, The Alliance for a Better Utah called for Haaga’s resignation. Executive Director Rachel Sanders, issued a statement saying in part: “As a City Councilmember, he took an oath of office to obey the laws of our State. He knowingly violated those laws. And after doing so, he claimed his position exempted him from punishment of his crimes as if he was entitled to some kind of diplomatic immunity. We disagree — no one is above the law. Now he should do the right thing and heed the call to resign.”
The case is now being handled by Paiute County Attoreny Scott Burns.
Haaga is considered innocent until proven guilty and retains his seat on the City Council.
ABC4 Utah News stopped by Haaga’s home Friday evening to speak with him but no one answered the door.
Read Good 4 Utah article here.
