Why? Because the press love this sort of thing, that's why. Look, I'm new here, but it is a public forum and yes, I know that it is for 'rumours', but this guy was as you say, totally in the clear - but does that worry the sleazier side of the British press? Headlines saying 'PILOT SUSPECTED OF DRINKING' grab attention. A small line on page 5 column 3 saying 'the Sanford Police released the suspect when later tests proved negative' does nothing to diminish the initial impact of a story which would have been generated solely on this forum, is a complete non-event and should have been left un-posted IMHO. It probably won't come to anything because the papers sadly have other, graver matters to report on right now, but it strikes me that a bit of care is needed here sometimes, that's all.
edited for spelling