Cops woke up ‘passed out’ Jordan Addison before DUI arrest: bodycam video
A California Highway Patrol officer had to wake up an unconscious Jordan Addison in the middle of a lane on a Los Angeles roadway just prior to his DUI arrest last year, footage exclusively obtained by The Post shows.
Video, released by authorities following last week’s disposition of Addison’s criminal case, was captured on a cop’s bodycam around 11:30 p.m. on July 12, 2024, after authorities alleged the NFL star blocked a lane of traffic near LAX when he fell asleep at the wheel of his Rolls-Royce.
The video shows an officer approaching Addison’s car and telling dispatch “the party is passed out.” After several firm knocks on the window, Addison awoke and seemed confused.
“You all right?” the cop asked. “What’s going on?”
“What do you mean?” Addison responded.
“What do I mean?” the cop said to the Minnesota Vikings wideout. “You’ve been here asleep for like 15 minutes.”
Addison ultimately stated he was “good” and told the officer he was on his way to the airport. He said he had not been drinking, but after the cop checked his eyes, he ordered Addison out of the car and asked him a series of questions.
Addison said he was heading to LAX from West Hollywood, and reiterated he “didn’t have anything to drink.” The 23-year-old, who played at USC before being selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, eventually underwent field sobriety testing before he was administered a Breathalyzer.
Following the roadside exams, Addison was placed under arrest for suspicion of DUI, and as he was being put in a squad car, cops discovered he had $150 in one-dollar bills on his person. Addison never explained why he had the unique amount of cash.
Addison was later charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with at least a .08% BAC. He initially pleaded not guilty, but in July 2025, he pleaded guilty to a lesser “wet reckless” charge after taking a deal from prosecutors. He was placed on one year of probation, ordered to pay a fine and required to complete two online courses.
Last week, his probation was terminated early after his attorney, Jacqueline Sparagna, submitted proof in court her client had met all of the conditions of his agreement.
“Jordan fulfilled every one of his obligations on time and without exception, often going above and beyond what was required of him,” she said in a statement to The Post. “Now that his probation has been formally terminated, we will be filing an expungement so he can fully move forward with his life.”
Addison, who was suspended the first three games of this season over the run-in with cops, has played in 10 games for the Vikings this season, recording 510 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 37 catches.
His status for Sunday’s road game against the Cowboys is in question as he’s dealing with an Achilles injury.
How an Albuquerque Traffic Stop Cost Me Everything
No one should ever have to worry about the police trying to extort money from them and ruin their lives.
How an Albuquerque Traffic Stop Cost Me Everything
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I am one of the many people ensnared in the Albuquerque Police Department’s (APD) DWI Unit’s extortion scandal. I’m sharing my story because what happened to me could happen to you or someone you love, and I never want it to happen to anyone ever again.
Before I was falsely charged for drinking and driving last summer, I was rebuilding my life and running a janitorial business with my aunt. I had moved back to Albuquerque from Los Angeles a few years before when my career as a professional dancer ended because of a knee injury. My mom and I were getting closer to my aunt and her 16-year-old daughter and living with them to save money for a place of our own.
But that all ended one Albuquerque evening in late June.
My cousin and I had been out for an evening of pizza downtown. On the way home, I followed the time-honored Albuquerque tradition of revving my engine in the tunnel under the train tracks. As I pulled out of the tunnel, an unmarked police SUV started flashing its lights at me. I immediately pulled over.
It was the beginning of a nightmare that I’m still living through.
The police officer, Joshua Montaño told me I was speeding and that my eyes were red. He asked me if I had been drinking. I said no. He kept complimenting my ‘17 Mustang GT and was friendly like he was trying to be my friend. I thought this was very strange. Now I know that I fit the profile this officer and the others involved in this corruption scheme were looking for and that he might have been trying to get me comfortable so I would accept “help” from him later.
I couldn’t believe it. I’ve never been in a situation like this.
I’m pretty sure we both knew I wasn’t drunk, but he made me get out of the car, and in front of my teenage cousin and all the traffic going by, he gave me two sobriety tests: an eye test and a counting test. I was nervous and humiliated, but I passed both. He then asked me to do a test that required standing on one leg. I politely told him that I had a knee injury that would make it hard to pass, but I didn’t refuse. I followed his directions, walking back and forth on a line successfully but wobbled when I stood on my bad leg. He said because I had a minor in the car, he had to take me into the station for a breathalyzer test.
I couldn’t believe it. I’ve never been in a situation like this. I don’t get in trouble. Still, even though I felt like something was off, I was sure once I blew, he would let me go. I was wrong.
I was concerned about leaving my young cousin alone on the side of the road. He promised to take good care of her (which turns out he did not, and she was picked up by her minor boyfriend). He handcuffed me, put me in the backseat of the police car, and took me to the station. All the way there, he continued to cheerfully chat me up and assured me that if I passed the test, I could go home.
Once there, officers took my Apple watch and my jewelry, including a gold bracelet that I always wear because it has sentimental value to me. Other officers were looking at me like they were feeling bad for me, but none of them helped me. I wondered if it was because I’m Black or because I’m gay. Now, I think it was because I was another person they could try to extort. I could not believe that the people who were supposed to protect me were abusing their power to hurt me.
I took the breathalyzer twice and was below the legal limit. I was sure that now I would be able to go home but that’s not what happened. He charged me with a DWI. I felt like the ground was crumbling below my feet. I was terrified and confused. I still had my phone, and I wanted to call 911 for help but realized I was already with the very people I would call. It didn’t feel real. It was too much like a horror movie to be real. With his lapel camera removed, Officer Montaño told me he had an attorney friend who could make this all go away. Alarm bells were going off in my head. This was not right.
I could not believe that the people who were supposed to protect me were abusing their power to hurt me.
I called my family, but we are trained to trust and believe the police, and I spent the night in a freezing jail cell.
When I was released from jail the next morning, they gave me everything back except my bracelet. Officer Montaño left me a voicemail saying the attorney had it. I soon got a call from a paralegal, Rick Mendez, from the law office of Tom Clear, whose number Officer Montaño had given me. It was clear that this was a setup, but I wanted my bracelet back, so I agreed to meet him at the law office.
My mother was afraid something bad would happen to me and begged me not to go. That’s one of the reasons I decided to record our meeting.
In the meeting, with my phone, I recorded the paralegal “guaranteeing” to me that this whole thing would disappear from my record if I paid him $8,500. I didn’t take him up on the offer for two reasons: I hadn’t been driving drunk, and I didn’t have the money. He gave me my bracelet back in shrink-wrapped plastic and his business card.
Eventually, I found out the FBI was investigating this organized APD corruption ring, and my case was dismissed.
During these seven months, my life was taken away from me.
I wish I could say this all happened fast, but it didn’t. My case wasn’t dismissed until a few weeks ago in mid-January. During these seven months, my life was taken away from me. My aunt refused to believe that I was not drunk that evening. It was clear my mom and I could no longer live with her and that I could no longer work with her. To this day, there is a rift between our families. I couldn’t drive anymore, because a judge had ordered an Interlock on my car, which stops you from starting your engine while under the influence, but I couldn’t afford one so working regularly was impossible. Worse still, so I could survive, my mother lent me the money we had worked hard to save to buy a house. We lost our dream of being homeowners and the financial security that comes with it.
I spent Christmas alone for the first time ever.
I became so depressed that there were some days I could barely get out of bed. I still cannot drive at night. Every time I see a police officer, I feel my anxiety rise. I do not feel safe. I want to get that back, but I don’t know if I ever will. It is truly shocking that so many APD officers were extorting drivers for years and years. It felt like a movie, but this is my life.
Through a mutual friend, I found my way to the ACLU. They are going to represent me in a lawsuit against the APD and the City of Albuquerque. I want the police and attorneys who abused their power to be held accountable and for justice to be served. No one should ever have to worry about the police trying to extort money from them and ruin their lives. I hope my story encourages others to come forward and to avoid this ever happening to anyone ever again.
‘You’re not in charge’: Traffic stop in Gwinnett County raises questions about driver’s rights
A traffic stop escalates when a truck driver repeatedly asked why he’d been pulled over, raising questions about what police must tell you when pulled over.
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Author: Rebecca Lindstrom, Ciara Bri’d Frisbie
Published: 7:06 PM EST December 11, 2025
Updated: 7:06 PM EST December 11, 2025
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — No one likes seeing blue lights in the rearview mirror — especially when you don’t know what you did wrong. But as one Gwinnett County driver learned, asking for an explanation may not go the way you expect.
A commercial truck driver reached out to 11Alive after a traffic stop left him shaken. He told us he asked Gwinnett County Officer George Kalaitzdis why he’d been pulled over — and didn’t get an answer.
“Even though the citizen did not initially comply, I think he was just confused. And I think often times when we see these engagements happen, the officer has a one-tracked mind, and the citizen is really sincerely confused,” said former police officer and Georgia State University criminal justice professor Thaddeus Johnson.
We showed him the body camera video, obtained through an open records request.
It shows the officer asking him to step out of the truck because it was difficult to hear, while the driver repeatedly asks for the reason behind the stop.
In the video, you can hear the driver ask eight times why he was pulled over before he ends up pressed against his truck with his hands held behind him.
During the exchange, you can hear the officer say, “Sir, you’re not in charge of the situation. I am,” as he accused the driver of being the one who is confrontational.
Johnson confirmed the officer was within his legal authority, although training in community policing and de-escalation often stresses taking a kinder approach.
“I just feel like when you assert your authority in that way, you escalate things. It can come across as the officer is power tripping,” said Johnson.
Under the Fourth Amendment, a traffic stop is considered a seizure — and while an officer must have a lawful reason to pull you over, most states don’t require them to explain it immediately.
Still, Johnson was troubled by how quickly things escalated. He said the officer’s tone contributed to the tension.
“This man’s afraid. And he’s a Black man. So let’s be real. We know that when you’re afraid, it is fight, flight, or fear,” said Johnson.
But he adds, the driver could have protected himself by complying first.
Johnson’s advice: hand over your ID, keep asking questions calmly, or tell the officer you are invoking your right to remain silent, and if things feel heated, request a supervisor. If nothing else, get the officer’s name and badge number.
We also looked into the officer’s record. In 2024, Officer Kalaitzidis drew his weapon during a stop for expired registration and tinted windows. A review of the stop resulted in a letter, noting his inappropriate use of coarse or profane language.
Earlier this year, a mother reported he was verbally aggressive toward her and her 14-year-old daughter. He was ordered to complete interpersonal communication training — a course his file shows he has already taken at least once before.
A Gwinnett Police spokesperson said supervisors reviewed this most recent encounter and determined the officer acted appropriately. The driver ultimately received a citation for an unsafe lane change.
Johnson noted that laws vary across the country. As of January 1, 2024, California law, officers are now required to state the reason upfront for the stop, unless doing so would pose a danger.
