A 68-year-old New Hampshire woman plans to sue her city after she was arrested when cops smelled alcohol on her breath while she was at home watching baseball and claimed her filthy home was dangerous
- Colleen Loud, 68, was sitting at home waiting for a baseball game to start when two officers showed up at her door to investigate an accident
- After one of them said they could smell alcohol on their breath, the two arrested Loud, claiming the dirty state of their mobile home was dangerous
- Now, Loud said she has hired an attorney and plans to sue the city for what she calls a “wrongful arrest.”
A woman plans to sue a small New Hampshire town after she was arrested at her own home by cops investigating a nearby accident last year after they allegedly smelled alcohol on her breath.
Colleen Loud, 68, was sitting at her New Hampton home eating a bowl of ice cream and waiting for a Yankees game to start last October when officers knocked on her door and eventually took her into custody.
Police say she was arrested for being intoxicated with a breathalyser test of just over 0.08, which is below the legal limit for driving, and for concern for the condition of her home. In documents, an official accused her of being a “hoarder.”
Loud later retorted in an interview, saying, “My house is a mess, that’s honestly none of their business.”
Now, Loud said she has hired an attorney and plans to sue the city for what she calls a wrongful arrest.
Sgt Asa Johnson, pictured here, is said to have told Loud he could smell alcohol on her after knocking on her door
Officer McCue originally went to the door of her mobile home and questioned Loud about the accident
Former North Hampton Police Chief Kathryn Mone resigned from her post following an investigation into Loud’s arrest
Officer Matt McCue stopped by Loud’s door last October and asked if she heard a car crash into the bushes in front of her mobile home.
After telling McCue that she hadn’t, she closed the door on the officer and went back to watching her baseball game.
Sergeant Asa Johnson reportedly knocked on her door and claimed he smelled alcohol.
Loud told the Boston Globe that she stopped by a local bar for a few beers after work before officers showed up at her home.
Johnson gave her a breathalyzer test and found that her breath alcohol content was just over 0.08 percent, the legal limit for driving.
Loud told the newspaper she remembered Johnson saying, “We’re taking you into police custody.”
“I’m sitting in my chair waiting for a baseball game.” The next moment you’re taking me into custody. What the hell.’
According to vociferous claims, they would have given her two options: call someone to look after her or go to the “drinking room” overnight.
They took her from her home in handcuffs and she spent the night in the Rockingham County Jail.
Loud said, “I feel hurt.” My rights have been violated. I was in my own home. I didn’t stagger.
“I didn’t fall down drunk. “I did nothing but literally wait for a baseball game to start on TV.”
Officers had appeared on Granite Post Green to examine a car that had crashed into a bush
After the city launched an investigation into the incident, a report of the arrest was filed.
In reports obtained by the Boston Globe, McCue and Johnson said Loud’s home was full of “garbage heaps” and that they took her in to protect her from it.
Loud told the newspaper, “My house is a mess, honestly it’s none of their business.”
Since the incident, Police Chief Kathryn Mone has retired and Sgt. Johnson has left the police force.
The city’s investigation also reportedly found that there was no training, policy change, or disciplinary action following the arrest.
According to the report, Mone reportedly said she would “rather be sued for taking action than for not taking action.”