Body cameras capture struggle during Pierce County DUI arrest
The Brief
The Pierce County Sheriff's Department is ramping up DUI emphasis patrols for Saint Patrick's Day following a serious crash last weekend.
Body camera video from March 15 shows deputies questioning the passenger and driver involved in the crash that injured a 62-year-old man.
TACOMA, Wash. - Don't try your luck this Saint Patrick's Day. That's the message from the Pierce County Sheriff's Department and other agencies as they ramp up DUI patrols for the holiday.
Local perspective
The increased patrols come on the heels of a serious DUI crash this weekend in Pierce County near 352nd Street East and Eatonville Cutoff Road East.
"We clipped at the same time," said one of the men who was questioned following the crash Saturday.
Body camera video from March 15 shows Pierce County deputies as they questioned the passenger and driver involved in the crash that injured a 62-year-old man.
"So how much have we had to drink tonight?" asked the deputy.
One of the men replied, "Me? I drank, I'm not driving, so..."
The deputy responded to them, "OK, I don't believe that you're sober because your speech is low and slurred."
One of the men answered, "Ok well, you can take it however you want."
Body camera video also captured the damage done to the victim's car.
"His car is, his car is destroyed," said the deputy on video.
Deputies said the victim was pulled from the wreckage and rushed to the hospital.
"Got the driver of the mustang extricated, put him on a gurney. Right now they are definitely going to transport him," said the deputy.
It's those types of crashes that the sheriff's department says its DUI emphasis patrols are designed to prevent.
"You can see that both the driver and the passenger are extremely intoxicated," said Carly Cappetto, Pierce County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer, about the men seen on video.
Cappetto says the emphasis patrols were underway over the weekend and will continue overnight from Monday into Tuesday morning.
"We are out there, and we are going to make arrests on these DUIs," said Cappetto.
She says in the March 15 case, things went from bad to worse when a deputy tried to do a sobriety test with the driver. Both the driver and passenger are pictured below.
"We'll walk over," said the deputy.
"I'm going to walk with him,' the passenger responded.
That's when the passenger refused to leave his side, resulting in a scuffle between the passenger and a deputy. The passenger was ultimately arrested for obstruction, and the driver, vehicular assault and DUI.
Cappetto says it's better to designate a sober driver so you don't risk a serious legal hangover.
"The biggest thing is, we want people to go out and celebrate and just plan to have safe rides home and just know that if you do choose to drive, we are out there, and we will catch you and arrest you," said Cappetto.
Cappetto says Pierce County had a total of 213 DUIs that were processed in 2024. Looking at 2025, she says vehicular homicides and assaults are trending upward.
Capetto says that due to the increased use of drugs by drivers, deputies are seeing a greater number of DUIs involving drugs currently than DUIs coming from alcohol use.
The Source
Information in this story is from the Pierce County Sheriff's Department and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
Audio of 911 call released in Idaho student murders case
Thieves steal 60 guns from South Hill, WA storage units
Here's where Seattle renters are relocating: report
Best time to see the UW cherry blossoms in Seattle
Seattle Seahawks reach deal with WR Cooper Kupp
To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.
Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Pierce County sheriff scoffs at WSP's apology for disrupting Pride flag ceremony
Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank called out the Washington State Patrol on social media Thursday after the statewide law enforcement agency apologized for interrupting the raising of the Pride flag at the state capitol. Swank didn't call out the State Patrol for disrupting the Wednesday ceremony. He said the agency should be 'embarrassed' for apologizing in a post that explained why troopers marched through the ceremony and reiterated its mission to protect, defend and respect the rights of all. 'You should be embarrassed by this post,' Swank wrote on his X account. 'Any WSP who wants to work for a real law enforcement organization should come work at the Pierce County Sheriff's Office.' The post from the State Patrol read: 'The Washington State Patrol offers our heartfelt apologies for disrupting the raising of the Pride Flag on Capitol Campus today. The team leading our cadets to their graduation ceremony did not adequately communicate about the alternate route planned around the crowd.' The post went on: 'It was never our intention to disrupt an important community event. Our motto is 'Service with Humility,' and our mission is to protect, defend and respect the rights of all. We apologize for our misstep on what should be a great day for us all as we celebrate Pride.' Swank did not immediately return a phone call and text message Thursday asking if he would explain why the State Patrol should be embarrassed by the post. Chris Loftis, a spokesperson for the State Patrol, declined to comment on Swank's comment. The event was sponsored by the state's LGBTQ commission and was attended by Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson and Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Dave Upthegrove, the Olympian reported. Citing statistics showing a significant number of LGBTQ youth have considered suicide in the past year, Upthegrove — also a Democrat — told the newspaper that giving visibility to the LGBTQ community by raising the Pride flag shows people they can live full, meaningful lives. At some point during the ceremony, two lines of troopers marched through the event instead of taking an alternate route around the crowd. Videos of the incident on social media caused some to speculate that the troopers had deliberately disrupted the event to intimidate the crowd. In a written statement, Loftis said there was no intent to offend or distract from the event. He said it was a simple mistake, not any sort of statement. 'We had a miscommunication in our planning, and it led to us inadvertently disrupting another public event being held by citizens we are sworn to serve, protect, and respect,' Loftis wrote. 'We quickly and rightfully apologized to the impacted parties,' he added. 'That was the right things to do as public servants, as a law enforcement agency, and as friends and neighbors.' Swank has a track record of being provocative on social media. He once posted on X that a transgender legislator from Montana, Democratic Rep. Zooey Zephyr, was a man with mental health issues who should be called by her given male name. He's also posted that men and women who pretend to be the opposite sex are 'appropriating gender.' Swank retired from the Seattle Police Department in 2023 as a captain after 33 years on the force. But his conduct on social media — denigrating trans people and defending the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol — led former Seattle Police Department Chief Sue Rahr to declare earlier this year that he would have been fired if he had stayed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
1 dead, several injured in car crash in Pierce County, Sheriff's Office says
One person is dead and five are injured from a crash in Pierce County on Tuesday. The driver in an unlicensed Dodge Durango was driving recklessly and swerving near 112th Street East and Portland Avenue East. Multiple people reported the car to 911, and a deputy saw the Dodge right before it struck another vehicle, Pierce County Sheriff's Office spokesperson deputy Carly Cappetto told The News Tribune. The crash was reported at 2:15 p.m, according to PulsePoint. The driver and four passengers of the Dodge were boys, including the person who died, Cappetto said. The driver was arrested with unknown minor injuries. One passenger suffered life-threatening injuries while another has serious injuries. The driver, a 24-year-old man, in the vehicle that was struck suffered injuries, and their car was totaled, she said. The extent of his injuries was not immediately known. The crash involved a power pole, and electrical wires fell onto the roadway, according to a Central Pierce Fire & Rescue spokesperson. The roadway is expected to be closed for an extended period. This is a developing story, check back for updates.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Yahoo
Woman doused in gasoline by boyfriend armed with gun, Pierce County deputies say
A 53-year-old man is suspected of dousing his girlfriend with gasoline and pointing a gun at her near Spanaway. Deputies were dispatched at around 6:30 p.m. Monday to the 19600 block of Canyon Road East where the woman was living at a camp in the woods, the Pierce County Sheriff's Office wrote in a news release. Deputies found the woman in a tent and said she told them she had been covered with the gasoline, according to body camera footage. Two dogs appeared to be with her that also had gasoline on them. The gasoline burned the woman's skin and left her in discomfort, Sheriff's Office spokesperson deputy Carly Cappetto told The News Tribune. She was offered medical attention, water to get the gasoline off her body and a change of clothes. 'Once deputies found the victim, they knew they had to locate the boyfriend since he was armed and dangerous. K9 Clark and his handler were called to the scene to begin the search for the suspect,' the release said. 'You need to come out now, before my dog finds you and when he does he will bite you,' the handler was heard saying in the body-camera footage. The K-9 spent over 30 minutes combing through the thick woods and rough terrain to find the man, the release said. He found the sawed-off shotgun that the man allegedly pointed at the woman. The dog also found the man near a small body of water. The man was booked into the Pierce County Jail. Before he was booked, fire personnel treated him for a K-9 bite. Prosecutors charged him with first-degree animal cruelty, felony harassment, two counts of second-degree assault, first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of a short-barreled shotgun, court documents show. A plea of not guilty was entered on the man's behalf during his arraignment Wednesday, documents show. Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner Barbara McInvaille set the man's bail at $125,000. The release said a large portion of calls that deputies are dispatched to regard domestic violence. 'For domestic violence resources and help, contact the Crystal Judson Family Justice Center to speak with an Advocate (253) 798-4166, or visit their website at Pierce County Family Justice Center, WA | Official Website,' the release said.
