Can I sue for defamation if someone made a false police report about me out of malicious intent?

I had lunch with an ex bf, who left the restaurant and then reported to the police he saw me drinking and driving, and i cut him off on the road, when in fact I had not been in my car since I arrived. Two police officers attended and questioned me for 20 minutes until it became clear that I was set up by my ex boyfriend....can I sue for defamation? There was absolutely no merrit to his call and it was entirely untrue.