Officers testify in trial of Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer
Tacoma police detective Chad Lawless testified that Sheriff Ed Troyer told him he was not threatened in a confrontation with a newspaper carrier in 2021.
TACOMA, Wash. – The Tacoma officer who spoke with Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer at the scene of a 2021 confrontation with a news reporter testified in court Wednesday.
Troyer faces two misdemeanor charges after he allegedly claimed on a 911 officer’s line that newspaper courier Sedrick Altheimer threatened to kill him in January 2021.
The trial is now entering its ninth day.
Tacoma police detective Chad Lawless testified that he and his partner officer Corey Ventura were the first to arrive on the scene.
While Ventura was interviewing Altheimer, Lawless said he spoke with the sheriff about what happened. Lawless testified that Troyer told him he was inside the house when he saw a vehicle drive in and out of the driveway. Lawless said Troyer went to investigate, found the vehicle and began talking to the occupants of the vehicle.
Lawless testified that he asked Troyer twice if Altheimer threatened him, and both times, Troyer said no. Lawless said he clarified whether Altheimer was exhibiting weapons and Troyer said no, “but he (Troyer) made it clear that he (Altheimer) wanted to fight.”
Lawless was also responsible for demoting the police in need of a help call, announcing that they did not need more police at the scene.
“I believe my exact words were, ‘We don’t need the whole world here,'” Lawless told the court.
On Tuesday, Altheimer testified that he saw Troyer following him in his SUV while he was on his way to the newspaper and eventually confronted him. Altheimer said he never threatened the sheriff.
On Monday, SouthSound 911 Coordinator Leah Heiberg, Darren Steiner, whose newspaper distribution company has a contract with Altheimer, and Tacoma Police Officer Zachary Hobbs, who spoke to Troyer at the scene, testified. .
The opening statement in the trial was made on November 30.
The first witnesses testified on December 1.
On January 27, 2021, Troyer called 911 on a line used by law enforcement to collect information and requests and said he had “caught” Altheimer in his driveway and “he just threatened to kill me,” according to document probable cause.
Troyer faces one charge of false reporting and one charge of making false or misleading statements to a public official. Troyer pleads not guilty before the charges in October 2021.
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Clock: Full coverage of Ed Troyer’s trial
https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/tacoma/pierce-county-sheriff-ed-troyer-trial-officers-testify/281-0d58787e-7ba2-4a7d-8ed7-9aa30c5d84ce Officers testify in trial of Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer
