A Clark County Sheriff’s Office deputy fatally stabbed a suspected impaired driver after the subject attempted to take his firearm during an altercation at the Washington State Patrol Scale House along Interstate 5 north in Ridgefield just before midnight on Wednesday, May 7, according to a news release from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO).
On May 7 at approximately 10:58 p.m., Clark County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a traffic collision involving a vehicle that crashed into two parked cars near Northeast 14th Court and Northeast Minnehaha Street in Vancouver, the news release from the sheriff’s office stated.
Deputies arrived at the scene and began an investigation. Deputies believed that the driver was possibly impaired and conducted a DUI investigation. As part of the investigation, the subject was arrested and transported to the Washington State Patrol Scale House at 29317 Interstate 5 in Ridgefield, the release stated. The facility has a room equipped with a breath alcohol analyzer used for evidential breath alcohol measurements in DUI investigations.
The release stated that the deputy arrived at the Scale House at approximately 11:33 p.m. on May 7.
“While in the breath test room at the Scale House facility, at around 11:58 p.m., a CCSO deputy reported over the radio that he was actively in a physical altercation with the subject,” the release states. “The deputy reported that the subject had attempted to take his firearm during the altercation, and the deputy stabbed the suspect several times.”
CCSO deputies, with the assistance of other agencies, attempted to provide first aid to the subject, who has not been publicly identified by authorities. A Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue ambulance arrived at the location as well, according to the release. The ambulance was still on scene around 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 8, while the investigation continued.
The subject was pronounced deceased at the scene at 12:39 a.m. on May 8, the release stated.
The CCSO deputy was not physically injured. The deputy is now on critical incident leave, per standard protocol, the release added.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office notified the Washington State Office of Independent Investigations (OII), a new state agency in Washington created to investigate deadly force cases by law enforcement, which will investigate this incident. Investigators from OII and the Washington State Patrol response team were on scene processing evidence throughout the morning Thursday. Investigations by OII are required to be completed in 120 days or be explained to an advisory board as to why an investigation will need more time.
As part of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office Body-Worn Camera (BWC) Program, video captured by body-worn cameras and in-car cameras will be reviewed and released at a later time, the release added.
In compliance with WAC 139-12, Clark County Sheriff’s Office personnel will not be involved in the independent investigation, the release stated.
