Tiffany Haddish's attempt to get Georgia DUI case thrown out denied by judge

A Fayette County judge denied an attempt by Tiffany Haddish's attorneys to throw out her 2022 arrest on DUI and other charges.

The actress and comedian was detained on the morning of Jan. 14, 2022, in Peachtree City after police got a call about a driver asleep at the wheel on the highway, authorities said.

An officer saw a vehicle investigators say matched the caller's description and stopped Haddish as she pulled into the yard of a residence.

Haddish was charged with driving under the influence, failure to obey a traffic control device, improper stopping on a roadway, and a parking violation. She later posted bond and was released from the Fayette County Jail.

Haddish's defense has attempted to get the case thrown out, arguing in a motion filed in May that the years between the arrest and a possible court date violated her constitutional right to a speedy trial.

In a ruling on Wednesday, Fayette County Judge Jason B. Thompson acknowledged the length of time, but said that the fact it took so long for the lawyers to assert the right of speedy trial caused a problem.

"The failure to assert the speedy trial right makes it difficult for a defendant to prove he was denied a speedy trial," Thompson wrote, citing an earlier case. "The fact that the Defendant just recently asserted her speedy trial right weighs heavily against the Defendant."

Thompson also found that Haddish has not suffered any "actual prejudice" due to the delay, pointing out that she was not in custody at that time and that arguments that she has suffered "anxiety and concern" or may have diminished memories of the incident are not enough.

"There is no evidence that the delay caused the loss of a witness, the destruction of evidence, documented financial impairment, or other documented impairment to the Defendant and her defense," Thompson wrote before denying the motion.

With the judge's ruling, Haddish is scheduled to go to trial on Aug. 13.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.