By Carol Robinson
al.com
EUFALA, Ala. — A Eufaula man is under arrest after authorities say he falsely accused a police officer of being involved in a traffic crash that killed a pedestrian.
John Robert Grubbs, 46, is charged with doxing, which became a crime in Alabama in 2023.
Under the law, a person commits the crime of doxing if he or she does the following: intentionally electronically publishes, posts, or provides personal identifying information of a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or public servant, with the intent that others will use that information to harass, harm, or impede the duties of that law enforcement officer, firefighter, or public servant, and the law enforcement officer, firefighter, or public servant is actually harassed, harmed, or impeded from performing his or her governmental function.
The law doesn’t just apply to first responders or government officials.
It also includes publish or posting personal identifying information of another person, with the intent that others will use that information to harass or harm that other individual, and the other individual is actually harassed or harmed.”
Putting identifiers of your profession could make you a target of a potential crime. In this video, Gordon Graham talks about off-duty officer safety measures that can help keep you and your family safe.
Grubbs was arrested on the misdemeanor charge Saturday, Eufaula Police Chief Danny Christ announced Monday. Grubbs is currently out on bond.
A 47-year-pedestrian was fatally struck on May 18 near the 600 block of Highway 30.
Police at the time said the uninjured driver was taken to the hospital for drug/alcohol screening. The driver’s identity was not released, which is standard procedure for Eufaula police unless formal charges are filed.
Christ said Grubbs made public posts, including a photo, accusing a Eufaula police officer as being the driver.
“They were trying to say it was one of my officers and it was not,’’ the chief said.
“People don’t know it (the doxing law) exists,’’ Christ said. “It applies to anybody.”
“If you don’t start enforcing it, they’re not going to know it’s against the law,’’ he said. “So, we’re doing our part.”
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