EVERETT — An Everett man was headed to jail Friday, a year after he assaulted an elementary school librarian during a dispute over parking lot protocol.
Trevor Wipf’s behavior and the way he treated and talked to fifth-graders on safety patrol “somewhat defied belief,” Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Ellen Fair said Friday.
The judge sentenced Wipf, 34, to two months in jail. He was led away after Fair declined to stay his sentence pending the outcome of an appeal Wipf intends to file.
His actions at Jefferson Elementary School on Dec. 16, 2008, showed that Wipf didn’t believe he had to follow the rules, Fair said.
“He was convicted of a serious felony. There have to be consequences,” she said.
Prosecutors accused Wipf of running his vehicle into the school librarian after berating kids on safety patrol during an argument over what entrance to use when dropping off his 7-year-old at school.
Wipf claimed the librarian slipped on the snow when he attempted to kick Wipf’s vehicle.
Wipf was charged with second-degree assault and vehicular assault. The jury was hung on both counts. Instead, they found Wipf guilty of third-degree assault, a lesser charge.
Fair called the incident more than an accident. Wipf’s new attorney, Sheryl McCloud, said the assault was unintentional. It didn’t appear that he meant to hurt the librarian but he was criminally negligent when he didn’t exercise appropriate judgement, Fair said.
Wipf was tearful as he apologized to the librarian and the school.
“I want to make clear I am remorseful,” Wipf said.
He has completed defensive driving lessons and is signed up to take anger management class, his attorney said. McCloud said Wipf’s behavior was out of character. He is a good father and a hard worker, she said.
During his apology, Wipf said he never meant to disrespect the court or Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Janice Albert.
Before deliberations a juror was dismissed after he reported that he inadvertently heard Wipf talking on the phone outside the courtroom. Wipf wasn’t being jailed during the trial.
The juror said he overheard Wipf call Albert a derogatory name. He also reported hearing Wipf say that he wished he had a chance to run Albert down with his vehicle.
Fair agreed to let Wipf serve a month of his sentence on home detention if jail staff determined he was eligible.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463; hefley@heraldnet.com.
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