Police body camera footage out of Marietta, Georgia captured a man appearing to bribe a police officer during a DUI traffic stop last Friday – by offering him a beer.
Lazaro Hernandez, 24, is also seen trying to appease the officer by offering him all the money in his wallet – some US$400 according to him – and attempting to talk the DUI charge down to a charge of “super speeding.”
According to a police report from the Marietta Police Department, Hernandez was pulled over around 2:40 AM on June 3 after he allegedly tried to pass an officer who was directing traffic near the site of an accident.
According to the police report, Hernandez told the officer he believed he was being waved through. That’s when the officer, whose name is not being released, smelled what he believed was alcohol and decided to administer a field sobriety test.
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Hernandez told the officer he had a drink 13 hours previous, and becomes increasingly agitated as the test continued. After he refused to take the walking portion of the test, the officer placed him under arrest for DUI.
“I’m not driving under the influence of alcohol, you need to finish your [expletive] test,” Hernandez can be heard saying in the body camera footage released by the Marietta Police Department.
Once in the back of the patrol car, Hernandez appears to attempt to negotiate his release by offering some…incentives.
“I got like $300 right here,” Hernandez can be heard saying.
“Are you trying to bribe me?” the officer responds.
Hernandez then ups the offer to $400, asking the officer how much “he can take.”
“I can’t take anything from you, that’s called bribery,” the officer responds.
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Undeterred, Hernandez then sweetens the offer.
“I can give you some beer,” Hernandez says.
“You’re going give me some beer?” the officer replies.
“I’ll give you everything that’s in my pocket right now, that’s like $400 dollars,” Hernandez says.
Hernandez then asks if the charge can be changed from a DUI to something else, like “super speeding.”
The officer refused the offers and took Hernandez to a county jail. He was booked on multiple charges including driving under the influence, bribery, open container, reckless driving and failure to obey authorized persons directing traffic.
11Alive News in Georgia reached out to Hernandez for comment, but he was advised by his lawyer not to comment at this time.
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