EVERETT — An Everett man is accused of berating fifth-graders on safety patrol and using his vehicle to knock down an elementary school librarian during a dispute over what entrance he was supposed to use when dropping off his child at school.
Prosecutors on Monday charged Trevor Wipf, 33, with second-degree attempted assault, a felony.
He is accused of intentionally driving his sport utility vehicle into the librarian at Jefferson Elementary School during this past school year.
Wipf told police he didn’t hit the librarian. He said the librarian slipped when he tried to kick Wipf’s vehicle, Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Janice Albert wrote.
The dispute began in December when fifth-graders manning the school’s restricted bus-only entrance complained that a parent refused to use the appropriate entrance. Members of the safety patrol reminded the man he wasn’t supposed to use the bus entrance and asked him to go to the public driveway.
Wipf allegedly “used foul language, threatened to run through the gate, and demanded to be permitted in,” Albert wrote.
A patroller on Dec. 15 took down the man’s license plate number and reported the offenses to the principal. The bus coordinator spoke with Wipf, who allegedly told her he could do what he wanted, court papers said.
The next morning a school librarian stood at the bus entrance with the safety patrol. Buses were waiting to use the driveway when Wipf allegedly drove up and demanded one of the fifth-graders let him in.
The librarian saw Wipf ignore the student’s request and attempt to drive around a waiting bus, Albert wrote.
The librarian told Wipf he needed to back up and use the appropriate entrance to drop off his child, according to court papers.
Witnesses reported that Wipf got out of his vehicle and screamed profanities in the librarian’s face.
Other parents saw the dispute and called 911.
Wipf got back into his vehicle and told the librarian to get out of his way or he’d be sorry, Albert wrote. Wipf tried to drive around the man. The librarian stepped in front of the SUV. Instead of stopping, Wipf allegedly drove into the man and knocked him to the ground, court papers said.
Wipf told police a different version of events. He said the librarian pounded his fists on his vehicle and yelled at him. He said he only got out of his vehicle to explain how backing up might be a safety risk, Albert wrote. He also told police he carefully drove around the librarian who slipped and fell after trying to kick Wipf’s vehicle, according to court papers.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463, hefley@heraldnet.com.
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