It’s a story you’ll only find on Action News. Michigan’s zero tolerance policy for any marijuana in your system while driving continues to remain in effect despite the recent passage of recreational marijuana. But now, Oakland County has ruled in defense of a man arrested for that reason.
Exclusive dash camera footage obtained by Action News shows former Uber driver Arthur Rimbold at the intersection of 14 Mile and Rochester Road in May 2017. At 2 a.m., his last-minute decision to turn left caught the attention of a nearby officer.
“I had no idea what I was doing would fall outside of the norm,” says Arthur Rimbold.
Rimbold happens to be a card-carrying medical marijuana user and says he hadn’t smoked pot for 14 hours. Yet, the officer insisted he could smell it.
Due to a leg injury, you could see him struggle with a field sobriety test. Still, appearing sober in other exercises, Rimbold was confident enough to agree to a blood test. However, an officer could be heard on a microphone prior saying, “He was just chilling with a (expletive) bong between his legs and a box of weed his foot was on. I’m like, what do you got there? He’s like, 'more weed.'”
Rimbold says “from that point forward I was your standard marijuana user and abuser.”
Rimbold's attorney, John Dakmak, says the officer was wrong in telling his client he had to transport pot in the trunk. In a one week trial, an Oakland County jury found the level of THC in Rimbold’s system did not impair his driving and found him not guilty.
“Our legislature needs to step up and provide us with some guidance so we’re all on the same page,” Dakmak said. Rimbold has not ruled out filing a lawsuit since he wasn’t allowed to smoke medical marijuana until his case ended. Meanwhile, tonight police have no comment.
