December 9, 2025 | News
Read the full WEVV news story here.
Our client, Malik Stafford, 24, of Louisville, was arrested on June 16, 2025, following a fatal crash on North St. Joseph Avenue in Vanderburgh County, Indiana.
Stafford was charged with Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated Causing Death (Level 4 Felony) and Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated Causing Serious Bodily Injury (Level 5 Felony), but there was no concrete evidence that he was impaired or intoxicated.
The Investigation
Our firm immediately launched an in-depth investigation, which revealed that the Sheriff’s Department and Prosecutor’s Office relied on assumptions, misinterpretations, and scientifically unsupported conclusions to justify Stafford’s arrest. Relying on this flawed foundation, the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office filed the charges. Our independent findings directly contradicted these claims.
The Prosecutor’s Office and the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Department rushed to judgment, incarcerating Stafford without substantiated proof of impairment. His bond was set at $50,000, a financial burden his family could not meet while also securing legal representation. As a result, Stafford remained in jail for five months.
Investigators initially relied on a urine screen and oral swab that indicated the presence of cannabis. However, both official toxicology reports for marijuana and alcohol came back negative on July 2, 2025, 16 days after the accident. Still, Stafford was held on the same $50,000 bond. A Delta-8 cannabinoids panel also returned negative results on July 15, 2025. He was still held in custody.
Deputies claimed Stafford showed “multiple signs” of cannabis impairment—bloodshot eyes, drooping eyelids, poor coordination, disorientation, and a rapid heart rate. In reality, these symptoms were consistent with the significant physical and emotional trauma Stafford suffered during and after the crash. The box truck he was driving had rolled onto its side, causing internal injuries, including a broken bone in his neck that required emergency surgery. Immediately after surgery, Stafford was transferred to jail.
Charges Dismissed After Months in Custody
On October 31, 2025, investigators requested a third toxicology test to check for synthetic cannabinoids. The results returned on November 23, 2025, again showing no detectable drugs. Finally, on November 24, after months of incarceration and multiple court hearings, all charges against our client were dismissed.
The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Department initially described the crash as an “entirely preventable tragedy,” a characterization later disproven. Evidence ultimately showed that there were no preventative measures that could have avoided this accident, and that Stafford had been wrongfully presumed impaired.
Contact Our Cincinnati Office Today
For more information, contact our Cincinnati attorneys at Suhre & Associates DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyers. Give us a call today at (513) 333-0014 or visit us at our Cincinnati Law Office.
Suhre & Associates DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyers – Cincinnati
300 W 4TH St,
Cincinnati, OH 45202
(513) 333-0014
Our firm is located near you. We have an office in Cincinnati
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