NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- State Rep. Gary Odom has written a letter to the state attorney general seeking the names of the individuals who may have had their personal information violated by a Tennessee Highway Patrol lieutenant.

Lt. Ronnie Shirley is accused of using a law enforcement database to look up records on people over a period of 21 months.

As Channel 4 reported last week, one of those people is Shirley's co-worker, Robert Eckerman, and his wife.

Eckerman has a pending civil rights suit against Lt. Colonel Mike Walker and director Frankie Floyd, the man heading up the investigation into the illegal checks. The suit was filed last year.

Eckerman's attorney said he is understandably upset.

"It's just another weird circumstance that's come up, and nobody can explain when or why it happened," said Arthur Knight III, Robert Eckerman's attorney.

Eckerman's attorney said his client and the Department of Safety have known about the checks since May.

On Tuesday, safety officials told reporters their investigation began in July, nearly two months later than when they were initially notified.