Woman arrested after Facebook post over water concerns

A woman says she was arrested after posting health and safety concerns about a city's drinking water on Facebook.It happened in Trinidad, in Henderson County, southeast of Dallas.People who live there say the tap water sometimes looks and smells unsafe.When one woman shared her take on Facebook, the police department arrested her, and now she's suing.Fox 4's David Centendre is live with more from that city.David.

Well, some city leaders say there are issues with the water system and that there has been for quite some time.However, one woman's claim posted to Facebook that the water is making some people sick led to her being arrested.

Did you ever expect something like that Facebook post could get you arrested?

Not at all.A Facebook post made by Jennifer Combs, a wife, mother, and citizen journalist led to her arrest by Trinidad Police Department on May 8th.Did you have to spend the night in jail?I did.What was that like?

Horrifying.Absolutely horrifying.

And you've never even had a speeding ticket in your life?

I have not ever had a speeding ticket.It was One of the most probably humiliating things I've ever went through in my entire life.

It was very, very bad.So what was the Facebook post about?The city's water supply.

The best way I can describe it is it looks like the Trinity River is flowing from their water taps.

The post from her page Southern Bell Watch reads, in part, we have received reports that some citizens have been hospitalized due to bacteria in the water.This is a serious public health concern that deserves immediate attention.If your water looks discolored, contains sediment, has a strong odor, or you have experienced related health issues, please send us a message.We are gathering information and reporting findings to the state.

The police chief had screenshotted it and posted it on the Trinidad police website.page.

The April 6th post by Trinidad Police calls what Combs wrote, false information that creates fear, panic, or unnecessary emergency response within a community.Eventually, charging Combs with felony false alarm or report.I feel like this is an extreme stretch.So here inside Trinidad City Hall, the water looks clean, but some say it's a fluid situation depending on where you're at and when.How would you describe the city's water situation right now?

The city's water situation is a struggle without question.Trinidad Mayor Dennis Hawes does not dispute that they have water issues.

A lot of this stuff is original pipes that were put in here in Trinidad in the 50s probably.

We have to get to a position where we can fix that infrastructure and it's very expensive as I'm sure you can imagine.

On Wednesday, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality confirmed to Fox 4 that it received a complaint regarding the water quality and an investigation is ongoing.It's unclear whether anyone has gotten sick from the water.

I've seen some Facebook posts where people have said they have gotten sick, but to me personally, I haven't heard anything.

In a post on May 10th, Trinidad Police Chief Charles Gregory doubled down on his decision to arrest Combs, calling the case cut and dry.He says claims citizens were hospitalized due to bacteria in the water are simply false and have only caused unnecessary fear and confusion in our community.

I really haven't seen anything like this before, David.

SMU constitutional law professor Dale Carpenter questions if a crime was committed and believes Combs' First Amendment rights may have been violated, even if it turns out Combs' post was inaccurate.

She's making a statement regarding a matter ofgreat public interest.And so people sometimes make false statements on matters of great public interest, and they're allowed to do so.If we prosecuted and arrested everybody who made such claims, our jails would be overfilled.

Chief Gregory was not at Tuesday's council meeting, but the water issue was a topic of conversation.

The reason why everyone is here and the reason why Fox four is here is because your city is acting like tyrants.

Combs stands behind her post and in a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday, she accuses the police chief of political retaliation related to her work as a citizen journalist.She claims multiple citizens made social media posts stating that they had personally been hospitalized or affected as a result of consuming the city's water.

I don't agree and don't think it's fair that the citizens pay for water they can't really use.

The lawsuit adds speech about the safety of a community's drinking water is a quintessential matter of public concern entitled to the highest degree of First Amendment protection.

There's people saying that their appliances are getting ruined.They can't cook with the water.They can't bathe with it.They can't do laundry.A lot of them feel hushed and like they don't have a voice and no one listens to them and no one takes them seriously.

The police chief has not responded to a list of questions we sent over to him via email.He is listed as a defendant in this federal lawsuit.So is one of his officers, a city council member and the city of Trinidad.

All right, David, so you interviewed the mayor.Police chief didn't want to talk to you.I'm curious what the mayor's attitude or take on the police chief's actions regarding Jennifer Combs arrest.

Yeah, I asked the mayor if he agrees with that arrest, and he really wouldn't take a side.He told me in his words, he does not feel it's appropriate to comment.Just saying.that the case has been turned over to the Henderson County District Attorney's Office for prosecution.I've reached out to the DA's office to see if they will give us any sort of comment, what they think about the case.But at this point in time, we have not heard back.