A California woman is describing what led up to a federal lawsuit accusing the Phoenix Police Department of operating an unofficial DUI-arrest quota system.
Brianna Longoria said she was wrongly arrested for DUI in downtown Phoenix the day after her wedding. Longoria alleges breath and blood tests showed she had no alcohol or drugs in her system, but she was arrested and booked anyway.
“My wedding was wonderful. I have no complaints whatsoever,” Longoria said. “Now let’s talk about the next day. That’s a different story.”
Stop in downtown Phoenix
According to Longoria, the traffic stop happened Dec. 29, 2024, as she drove in downtown Phoenix after spending time with family.
“I seen a cop car behind me and I seen the lights at first,” Longoria said. “I didn’t think anything other than I realized, OK, you’re pulling me over.”
In the lawsuit, Longoria said Phoenix Police Department Officer Mary Metheny told her she was stopped for running a red light. But Longoria’s attorneys contend body camera video shows the light was green. The lawsuit also says Metheny later withdrew the red-light allegation.
Longoria said she was asked to get out of the vehicle and perform field sobriety tests.
“And then shortly after she had asked me to get off the car, I got off the car,” Longoria said. “She asked me to do all these tests.”
Arrest despite 0.000 breath test
Police paperwork cited observations such as “glossy eyes” and “heavy eyelids” as indicators of impairment, according to the lawsuit. Officers administered a preliminary breath test that showed a 0.000 result.
Longoria said she cooperated because she believed she didn’t do anything wrong.
“I have nothing to hide. Go and do whatever it is that’s necessary,” Longoria said. “Up until the point that she took me to jail, then I realized, this is a little much.”
Longoria was booked and photographed. Her attorney says her blood test later came back negative for drugs.
Longoria’s attorneys point to body camera audio captured later at the police station, which they say suggests officers felt pressure to make DUI arrests.
In the audio cited in the lawsuit, one officer says she would be kicked off the DUI squad if she did not get a DUI arrest and adds she cannot “just conjure one up.” Another officer responds, “You can. You can.”
Longoria said that moment stood out immediately.
“Immediately is when it was a highlight for me,” she said. “I said, ‘Oh, I should stop talking at this point.’”
Longoria was released a few hours later, but she says the arrest and case have had lasting consequences. She is suing the city and the officers involved, alleging the case damaged her education and career plans as she works toward becoming a nurse.
“I can’t work in a hospital with my record stating that I have a DUI,” Longoria said. “Dangerous drugs and metabolites — come on. I can never work with medication patients. That’s insane.”
Longoria also says she is battling cancer and that the case interfered with treatment. Her attorneys are seeking $7 million in damages and are asking the city to remove the DUI arrest from government records.
