District Attorney Sandra Doorley repeatedly ignored officer commands when stopped for speeding in Webster this week — telling them she was the DA, didn’t care about the reason for the stop and that they should leave, footage released by the Town of Webster shows.
“I am the DA of Monroe County,” she told the officer at one point in the interaction captured by the officer’s body worn camera. “...I don’t really care. You know what, if you give me a traffic ticket, that’s fine. I’m the one that prosecutes it, OK? Just go ahead and do it. Go ahead. Go ahead.”
Doorley was caught going 55 in a 35 mph zone at 6 p.m. Monday on Phillips Road in Webster. She did not immediately stop but continued to her house on Fallen Leaf Terrace roughly a mile away. The officer pursued with his lights and siren on, records show.
In a statement Thursday, she said she called Webster Police Chief Dennis Kohlmeier from her vehicle so officers would know she wasn’t a threat. In the body worn camera video, she told the officer that she "was on the phone with Dennis, telling him, why are you pulling me over?”
WXXI News obtained the footage on Friday through an open records request.
“I believe in responsibility for my actions and have no intention of using my position to receive a benefit,” Doorley wrote in a statement released Thursday. “Nobody, including your District Attorney, is above the law, including traffic laws.”
But in her first interaction with Officer Cameron Crisafulli, she began:
“Sorry, I’m the DA. I was going 55 coming home from work.”
“Fifty-five in a 35,” the officer responded.
“I don’t really care,” she said, then called Kohlmeier on her cellphone again and asked the chief, “Can you please tell him to leave me alone?”
She then handed the phone to the officer and turned back into the garage and the door to the house, saying: “This is ridiculous. Just go away.”
Crisafulli then commanded Doorley not to go into the house multiple times.
“Ma’am, come outside, you can’t just go inside, this is a traffic stop,” Crisafulli said.
“Listen, I know the law better than you,” Doorley responded. “Would you just leave? Would you just leave me alone?”
You can watch the full video here. (The video contains strong language. Viewer discretion is advised.)
WXXI reached out to Doorley and Kohlmeier on Friday but did not immediately receive comment. A spokesperson for Doorley later referred to her earlier statement, and said Doorley would not be making further comment.
Her full statement read:
“On Monday, April 22, 2024, I was driving home following a busy day at work. I admit that I was not paying attention to my speed on Phillips Road in the Town of Webster. Less than half a mile from my neighborhood, I noticed a Webster Police car behind me. Once I realized that the intention of the car was to pull me over, I called the Webster Police Chief to inform him that I was not a threat and that I would speak to the Officer at my house down the street. The Webster Police Officer followed me to my house and issued me a speeding ticket for my speed of 55mph in a 35mph zone. I acknowledged that I was speeding and I accepted the ticket. By 1:00PM the following day, I pled guilty and sent the ticket to the Webster Town Court because I believe in accepting responsibility for my actions and had no intention of using my position to receive a benefit. Nobody, including your District Attorney, is above the rule of law, even traffic laws. Anybody who knows me understands without a doubt that I have dedicated my entire 33 year career to the safety of this community. My work to ensure the safety and respect of law enforcement is well proven time and time again. I stand by my work and stand by my commitment to the public safety of Monroe County.”
On Monday, when Crisafulli called for a supervisor at the scene, Doorley can be heard saying, “No, get out of my f---ing house.” When he asked her for identification, she flashed a badge.
“Do you know what I’ve been dealing with all day?” the footage shows Doorley asking Crisafulli at one point. “Three homicides in the city. Do you really think I care that I was going 20 miles over the speed limit?”
At another point she told him: “I didn’t think anyone would pull over a black SUV, if you’d ran my plate, you’d find out.” But she also told the officer that she didn’t realize that she was the one being pulled over.
Several officers ended up responding to Doorley's house, including a supervisor, Lt. Jeff Webster, whose interactions are caught on Crisafulli's camera video.
“What’s the deal?” Webster asked Crisafulli, as the lieutenant stepped outside the garage after speaking with Doorley. “You going to write her a ticket? What are you going to do? It’s your stop, I’m not going to interfere with that.”
“I get that she came home, I mean obviously,” Crisafulli began but was interrupted.
“It makes no sense. I explained that to her. It makes no sense,” Webster said.
"She came home," Crisafulli began again. "She failed to stop. I mean, its an arrest-able offense. I’m not trying to arrest the DA of the county, but also I don’t want to not do my job and not at least write her something. ... At the end of the day I’ve got discretion whether or not … “
“No, I get it,” Webster interrupted. “I understand.”
Doorley ultimately was issued a speeding ticket. She said Thursday that she already pleaded guilty and paid the fine.
Includes reporting by investigations and enterprise editor Brian Sharp.
