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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

High Noon: Chief Fires DUI Sergeant

Spokane Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick has fired one of her sergeants for his involvement in a DUI hit-and-run this last September. Washington State Patrol troopers say Sergeant Brad Thoma was legally intoxicated when he rear ended another driver in September then drove away from the crash without exchanging information about the fender bender. Because it was the veteran sergeant's first offense he was able to enter a deferred prosecution program. Under that agreement Thoma can only drive vehicles with a special device that would test Thoma's breath for the presence of alcohol. The car wouldn't start if the ignition interlock detected alcohol. However Chief Kirkpatrick wasn't willing to equip Thoma's patrol car and other police vehicles he might drive with the devices/Jeff Humphrey, KXLY. More here.

Question: Did Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick make the right move in firing Sgt. Brad Thoma?



D.F. Oliveria
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.

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