Our 2News Investigates team is dedicated to probing cases related to drunk driving, as it poses a significant risk to public safety in the state.
Our continuing investigation into a Utah man who has racked up arrests for DUI related crimes faced a Utah County Judge this week. Last week 2News brought you the story of Doug Griffith, 60, who has been arrested multiple times and convicted in several cases for drunk driving.
We tried to get his side of the story well before the initial reports aired. But all we received was an email from him with the code for criminal defamation and he indicated he blind copied his attorneys on that email.
MONDAY MAY 22ND COURT HEARING ONLINE
So, before his hearing on Monday we wanted to give him a chance to speak with us given the severity of the charges he now faces in Utah County, one of which is a 3rd degree felony for DUI. We knew he was meeting with his attorney at his office in West Valley City because his court appearance was online. He was walking down the street, spotted our team in the car and started recording us as he approached the passenger side. He then demanded the phone numbers for our lawyers.
This is the exchange:
Doug Griffith: I need the number to your lawyers.
Wendy: I'll get that to you.
Doug Griffith: So, I can call corporate.
Wendy: You can call corporate, hang on a second.
He then walked away toward his attorney’s office. We had questions as to how he got there. And that’s when he got physical.
Wendy: Mister Griffith, are you driving on a suspended license? Are you driving on a suspended license Mister Griffith?
Doug Griffith: I can't hear you.
Wendy: Are you driving....don't touch me Mister Griffith. Are you driving on a suspended license sir? Don't touch me. Do not touch me Mister Griffith.
He refused to answer questions and slipped through the door to his attorney’s office. And that was the last we saw of him.
DOUG GRIFFITH'S DUI ARRESTS
Doug Griffith has been arrested five times for driving under the influence of alcohol in three states since March of 2022.
His first arrest was on the night of March 3rd in Murray after he was pulled over by Utah Highway Patrol troopers. A UHP sergeant who came to assist in impounding his truck, found a gun inside the console.
A few months later, on July 8th he was arrested by St. George Police for DUI and driving with a revoked Utah driver's license. After he was taken to the police station he refused to cooperate when St. George Police Officer Tu'umalo was trying to administer the intoxilyzer test with Officer Sittre also in the room. The body camera footage shows their patience was wearing thin as he declined to blow into the mouthpiece attached to the machine, and they could not get a reading.
St. George Police Officer Tu'umalo: Do it or not it's up to you.
Doug Griffith: I want to.
St. George Police Officer Tu'umalo: Ok, we're not doing it.
Doug Griffith: No, I am.
St. George Police Officer Tu'umalo: We're not doing it no more.
Doug Griffith: No.
St. George Police Officer Tu'umalo: It's over.
On September 20, 2022, Griffith was arrested by Phoenix Police for aggravated DUI and driving on a suspended license. The arresting officer noted that he was swerving all over the road and that he had a cut on his left elbow. Officer Cassey asked him what happened and wrote that he stated he fell and was coming from a strip club.
In November he was arrested by Pocatello Police for DUI. On a rainy night, Griffith argued with the officers and at one point the body camera footage showed he ran away but was caught. He was repeatedly asked about his driving privileges but gave no answer.
Pocatello PD Officer: Where are you from what state? Where's your driver's license out of ?
As he was being placed under arrest and handcuffed, he pleaded with the officers.
Doug Griffith: Please don't do this. Please don't do this. Please.
Things took a drastic turn once he was taken to the Pocatello Police department for testing. He is seen on body camera video repeatedly refusing to cooperate during their investigation. Then Pocatello Police Officer Bigelow reminds him that he was one of the officers out in the field with him when he was stopped. He asks Griffith if he remembers him.
Pocatello Police Officer Bigelow: Douglas look at me real quick, do you remember me Officer Bigelow, look at me when you can't even provide us your date of birth, you're prolonging it.
Doug Griffith: I'm not prolonging it.
At that point, Griffith is taken down to the ground on a mat and forcibly restrained in a restraint device. The video shows him holding his breath and then his head seemingly drops as if he’s unconscious. But that wasn’t the case and an officer told him this.
Pocatello Police Officer: Ok if you’re gonna pretend like you passed out, we’re gonna sternum rub you again. Yeah, so don’t do that.
Doug Griffith: I’m not.
DOUG GRIFFITH ARRESTED IN UTAH COUNTY FOR DUI HOURS AFTER HIS RELEASE FROM PURGATORY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY
Fast forward to March of this year. After serving ten days in the Purgatory Correctional Facility in Washington County for his DUI conviction in St. George, Griffith was arrested five and a half hours after walking out of jail for DUI in Spanish Fork.
The UHP trooper tells him he smells alcohol coming from his car. He then asks a series of questions about his driving privileges.
UHP Trooper: Your driver's license what state is it out of?
Doug Griffith: It might be Utah.
UHP Trooper: You don't know where your driver's license is out of?
Doug Griffith: Um, it's in Utah.
UHP Trooper: It's in Utah.
Doug Griffith: It's suspended.
Griffith was placed under arrest and transported to the Utah County Jail.
2NEWS INVESTIGATES OBTAINED RECORDED JAIL CALLS GRIFFITH PLACED
Within hours of being booked into the Utah County Jail, Griffith was on the phone with a bail bond company. Through a public records request, 2News Investigates obtained recorded jail calls from the Utah County Sheriff’s Office sent to us by the Utah County Attorney’s Office.
He offered to send the full amount of his bail which was set at $5,000 via Zelle but was told that they don’t accept that form of payment. He then said he would use a credit card.
Doug Griffith: I'll be happy to pay you guys $500 to get me out of here fast.
I really have an important date tonight; I know that sounds really stupid based on my....
Bail Bond Company: No, it doesn't.
Doug Griffith: But I'm supposed to be at Sawadee a restaurant in Salt Lake at 6 p.m.
She asked him if he had a phone number for his date.
Bail Bond Company: If you have a number to whoever you're supposed to meet tonight I can call and tell them that you won't be there.
Doug Griffith: I don't. Like a dummy I didn't get her number. She's gonna be sitting at a restaurant by herself waiting and I'm that's gonna be the end of that.
Bail Bond Company: I'm so sorry.
Doug Griffith: It's Sawadee, but I don't. She's gonna be sitting there and just be p****d we were supposed to have a beautiful time together dammit.
His court date was continued until July 10 when it will be in person at the Utah County Courthouse in Provo.
Griffith previously indicated in an email following the second report on Friday that he was on an alcohol monitor from his conviction in Murray and claimed the monitor has not detected any alcohol.
He is an alcohol restricted driver which means he cannot have any amount of alcohol in his system if he does drive. Plus, he cannot drive any vehicle – including Off-Highway Vehicles or motorcycles without having an ignition interlock device installed on that vehicle. However, it is important to note that Griffith’s Utah driver’s license is revoked and legally he is not to be driving any vehicle.