| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2010 5:04 am |
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Local News 
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Medical examiner investigator arrives at crash scene, arrested on suspicion of DUI MARYSVILLE — A Snohomish County medical examiner's investigator summoned to the drunken-driving crash that killed four people on Sunday was arrested at the scene and cited for driving under the influence, officials said.When the investigator arrived at the scene on Highway 9 northeast of Marysville, a Washington State Patrol trooper smelled alcohol on the man's breath and pulled him aside, trooper Keith Leary said. The man, 48, of Seattle, had been driving a county-owned vehicle. He was arrested for investigation of drunken driving, cited and given a ride home, Leary said. Sunday night's crash was the deadliest drunken-driving accident in Snohomish County in recent memory, officials said. The crime scene investigation was not compromised by the investigator's arrest, Leary said. “We have nothing but the utmost faith in the medical examiner's office,” Leary said. Still, “We have to treat everyone the same when it comes to drinking and driving.” The investigator has worked for the county for eight years, said Carolyn Sanden, deputy director of the medical examiner's office. “We really are very careful when we hire and we take pride in our people, so this is shocking and unacceptable,” Sanden said. “He's an excellent investigator. In terms of knowing his stuff, he's seasoned.” The man has been placed on paid leave pending the outcome of the State Patrol investigation. The medical examiner's office is conducting an internal investigation as well. The investigator was on duty when the deadly crash occurred, Sanden said. He called for backup because of the magnitude of the crash scene. Two other investigators took over after his arrest. Noah Haglund: 425-339-3465, nhaglund@heraldnet.com. |
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COMMENTS
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WTF!!! why was this man given a ride home and only cited instead of given a ride to jail along side the other DUI suspect???? Why is he so much more special than the other guy? He isn't.....
Jessica Messenger | Dec 1, 2009 7:56 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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I'll bet you that AM wishes he hadn't tipped the bottle.
Moral Standards | Dec 5, 2009 3:42 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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DiGGer Don: The comment you're referring to was not removed. You will find it here: http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091202/NEWS01/712029863.
We often post more than one version of a story over several days as it develops. This can lead to confusion about comments on different versions. Unfortunately, we don't have an easy way to make sure the comments all stay together.
Elaine Helm
New Media Editor
The Herald | HeraldNet.com
Elaine Helm | Dec 3, 2009 7:39 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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This calls his competence in ALL past cases into question!
Every case that this M.E. has made decisions about needs to be re investigated. Was he drunk on the job frequently? This could be quite catastrophic for prior cases that this person has been involved with! Or will it all just be quietly swept under the proverbial rug like it seems as if most issues such as this are... What a travesty, the worst alcohol related accident in Snohomish County history and the M.E. shows up drunk driving a county vehicle acting in his official capacity... And he gets a nice warm ride home... What a slap in the face to law abiding citizens everywhere!
DiGGer Don | Dec 3, 2009 12:25 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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I was the very first person to comment on this story pointing out that there seems to be two sets of laws in Sno County one for the public and another for city and county workers... Why is it that a cop can shoot a man in the back 7 times and it is called manslaughter? Anyone else it would be 1st or 2nd degree MURDER! Then this dude GETS A RIDE HOME! Are you kidding me? Makes me sick to my stomach! And then someone at this paper took it upon themselves to CENSOR ME and remove my comment! JUST PROVES MY POINT!!!
DiGGer Don | Dec 2, 2009 7:24 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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The Chief Investigator at the Snohomish Coroner is Alfred Noriega. He is paid over 75K per year to manage 6 investigators (including the investigator in question) and 1 autopsy staff.
Alfred moved from the King County coroner a year ago. He directly supervised the investigators at King County and this King County incident resulted from his management style: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008094645_medrugs06m0.html
Alfred is now the supervising investigator at Snohomish County Coroner and the now the County has an incident involving an intoxicated investigator.
The administrator of the Snohomish Coroner is Carolyn Sanden. She is paid over 95K per year to manage 2 front office staff. She is tasked with producing an annual report for the office. I have tried to request the annual report for the last 4 years but was told that it hasn't been completed since she has been employed by the coroner in 2004.
The Chief Medical Examiner, Norman Thiersch, is the highest paid Snohomish County employee with an annual 200K.
These three individuals make up the "management" of this office. This boils down to one "manager" for every three bargaining unit positions (3 "managers" and 9 non-management positions).
Ultimately, shouldn't the investigation be focused on the "managers" of this county office?
Perhaps these "managers" should be cited for being asleep at the wheel, driven home, and put on administrative leave.
Isn't this investigator's intoxication at the accident scene a symptom of a more serious problem at our Coroner's office? A laissez faire attitude taken by management?
This is a wonderful opportunity to legitimize scrutiny of this oft ignored county office (and perhaps trim some fat during these lean economic times).
William Frank | Dec 2, 2009 5:10 pm | 0 replies | Request removal
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Give the man a break till you learn all the facts.
Officials always get breaks. Policemen are allowed to be free without bail even after shooting a man in the back.
Some people can drive better after a few beers than some 100% sober people. Did the man function like a sober person?
Bill Nath | Dec 2, 2009 11:13 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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You'd think you folks had never heard of alcoholism. The ME may not have been legally drunk, so no jail, but yes, he was obviously given preferential treatment.
Frankie the Fly | Dec 1, 2009 11:46 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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This incident may "slide by", being overshadowed by the officer slayings in Pierce County. I ask Snohomish citizens to NOT to let this happen!
I ask what others are asking:
Why was he given a ride home??
If that was you or I, jail would be home!
At the very least, this person needs to be suspended.
It is unimaginable, that he would go to investigate FOUR deaths, due to a DWI, and have been drinking himself. Unreal.
Valerie Roth | Dec 1, 2009 8:14 am | 1 replies | Request removal
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Thumbs up to the Trooper who busted this guy! Not everyone that gets arrested for DUI goes to jail but certainly they are not given a ride home on the tax payers buck! Now this guy is on paid leave until this is resolved, on the tax payers buck! Lets not forget the four inocent people who lost their lives. That is the real tragedy.
Sammie Messer | Dec 1, 2009 10:27 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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Hmmm...
This does look like preferential treatment. If such a thing had happened to you or me, more than likely we would have had a ride in the back of a patrol car to jail in downtown Everett.
Even one or two alcoholic beverages with lunch or dinner meals can give a person a false sense of security that they are OK to drive. One, two or three drinks during a meal can and does impair your response times.
The best policy is NEVER drink and drive.
Thankfully, this ME did not cause another collision. However, it is time to get professional help to find out why he might be self–medicating.
Whistle Berries | Dec 1, 2009 8:43 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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Its not the gool ol bois club, its more like the Barney Fife club....
Jessica Messenger | Dec 1, 2009 8:15 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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ok, knowing how Sno-Co runs things within the "good 'ol bois club", maybe this guy felt as though he had a duty to respond, even tho he was drunk.
His duty was to tell the other person on the end of the phone that he had been drinking & go on from there.
Keep in mind, when you are listed as "AT CALL" you will still be paid for that days work, for a min of 4-hours. This simply means that even though you are not at work, you are "on call", therefore on the payroll, even if you do not work, you must be sober while you are on the job, even if you are sitting back on the sofa, enjoying wages earned for doing nothing.
IF that phone call ever comes, & sometimes it does, demanding you show up to "work", and... you are already "on the job" & being paid for it. Drunk on the couch is NOT an excuse.
This guy needs to made an example of.
While "on call" he was eating up tax payer money, for getting drunk on a Holiday weekend, no doubt making double or triple time WHILE getting drunk.
cme everett | Dec 1, 2009 2:05 am | 1 replies | Request removal
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The article says he is a seasoned experienced examiner.
Sounds more like he was pickled - and - at the scene of a deadly DUI collision!
Poor judgement on his part.
Good job on the Trooper for calling him out. Should have made him walk home along the dark stretch of Highway 9.
Bobby G | Dec 1, 2009 6:18 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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Are you kidding me? What is wrong with you people?
hope floats | Dec 1, 2009 3:27 am | 0 replies | Request removal
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