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Alderman sues city over 2009 DUI charge

Chicago Ald. Sharon Dixon, 24th, sued the city Wednesday, alleging that police wrongly charged her in 2009 with driving under the influence of alcohol.

Dixon was arrested while driving on Sheridan Road early on Jan. 21 and charged with obstruction of traffic by a motorist and operating a vehicle without proof of insurance, in addition to the DUI charge.

At the time, she called it a “huge misunderstanding” with police.

In the lawsuit, Dixon alleged that she had swerved to avoid a police vehicle traveling at high speed without its emergency lights on.

A short time later, she saw the police car parked in the middle of the road and told the officer that the car was causing a hazard to other vehicles, the lawsuit said.

Dixon alleged that an argument ensued, prompting one officer to tell her that “she couldn’t tell the police how to do their jobs” and ending in her arrest.

After the arrest, Dixon alleged she was taken to a police station and held for about seven hours.

The DUI charge was dismissed on July 19, 2010, according to the lawsuit.

But Dixon alleged that the false charges caused her to suffer emotional distress and damage to her reputation. She is suing the city and police officers allegedly involved in her arrest for an unspecified amount of money.

City law department spokeswoman Jennifer Hoyle said the city had not gotten a copy of the lawsuit and declined to comment on it.

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