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April 23, 2010 in News
Spokane firefighter charged in WSP confrontation
A Spokane firefighter exonerated in a child pornography investigation two years ago threatened to beat a state trooper “to death” in a confrontation that led to felony charges Friday in Stevens County Superior Court, prosecutors allege.
Newly filed court documents show two Washington State Patrol troopers told investigators that Lt. Todd Chism’s anger erupted during the April 6 arrest after one told Chism he seemed familiar. They say Chism then launched into a profanity-laced tirade after a brawl in which he was stunned with a Taser several times.
One trooper broke his thumb; another severely injured a hand.
Stevens County Prosecutor Tim Rasmussen filed the documents Friday when he charged Chism with two felony counts of third-degree assault and two misdemeanors: resisting arrest and being in physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Chism, a Spokane Fire Department veteran, has been on paid leave since April 8.
“There were some aspects of this decision that were very unusual,” Rasmussen said. “Certainly the history of Mr. Chism and the things that had happened between him and the state patrol warranted careful examination of the material.”
Chism’s lawyer, Carl Oreskovich, said his client’s version of what happened “is substantially different from the summary we see from the state patrol.”
He emphasized that the charging document “indicates Mr. Chism was cooperative until a second trooper arrived and made reference that he knew who Mr. Chism was.”
Chism was arrested Jan. 29, 2008, after the WSP detectives learned a credit card in his name had been used to purchase child pornography online. Charges were dismissed in April 2008 after WSP confirmed that no child pornography was found on Chism’s computers.
“This is unfortunate and traumatic for him and his family. But we’ll go present our side of the story to a Stevens County jury,” Oreskovich said. “There are questions, frankly, about the amount of injuries he sustained and whether the description of what the troopers did would lead to that injury.”
A state trooper found Chism trying to drive his Dodge Ram pickup out of a ditch after a motorist reported a one-car crash alongside Highway 291 near milepost 12 about 2:30 a.m. Chism told troopers he’d hosted a party at his home across the street, and became stuck while helping guests out of his driveway when another car drove onto the roadway.
The troopers’ reports filed with the court alleged the following:
The first trooper on scene, Gregory Riddell, was told by an unidentified firefighter that the driver “was refusing aid.”
Chism exited his truck and told troopers he’d get it unstuck the next day. “You all can go home,” he told them.
But Riddell said Chism stumbled when he walked, had bloodshot and watery eyes, a flush face and an open pants zipper.
Chism said he’d “been drinking earlier at home,” then failed field sobriety tests. Riddell asked Trooper Greg Birkeland to take over the investigation because Riddell’s shift ended at 3 a.m.
After Riddell handed Birkeland Chism’s license, Riddell said he heard Chism ask Birkeland, “What do you mean ‘familiar?’ What do you need to know about my name?” Birkeland responded that Chism’s name seemed familiar.
Riddell noted that Chism appeared “very agitated” from that point forward.
When Birkeland asked Chism to complete the tests, Chism reportedly said, “Let’s settle this and talk about what you meant earlier.”
After Birkeland tried arresting Chism and the firefighter “entered a boxer’s stance,” Riddell drew his Taser and warned him “not to resist arrest.”
Riddell deployed the Taser after Chism advanced toward Birkeland, but Chism continued to fight.
Birkeland then deployed his Taser, and Chism fell to the ground head-first, but refused to place his hands behind his back. Birkeland stunned Chism with the Taser again, and a brawl ensued before Riddell used his Taser on Chism’s “legs, arms and buttocks.”
Riddell said he punched Chism in the left eye twice after realizing the Taser “had little effect,” according to the documents. Riddell and Birkeland then handcuffed Chism.
But troopers say Chism continued resisting and threatened them several times in a profanity-laced tirade.
“Is that all you have?” Chism reportedly said. “Take these handcuffs off so we can settle this.”
Riddell wrote he asked the driver “what he meant by ‘settle this,’ to which the driver responded: ’… I will …beat you to death.’ ”
Chism then lunged at Riddell and was further restrained with the help of a third state trooper.
According to court documents, Chism refused to take a blood test at Mt. Carmel Hospital, which can lead to a one year driver’s license suspension.
Oreskovich, Chism’s lawyer, declined to discuss the details of the case. Chism is due in Stevens County Superior Court on May 18, he said.
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Shylock13 on April 23 at 4:36 p.m.
Sayonara!
misjustice on April 23 at 5:26 p.m.
Too bad. He probably thought he was going to be hauled to jail & they would take out their frustrations on him … . . again.
Another_Perspective on April 23 at 5:40 p.m.
I guess with their hands hurt the WPS’s wont be able to work on their fake diploma classes.
So the Bully WPS’s just couldn’t wait but had to drag him down and initiate the confrontation. Just exactly where was Chism going off to?
Way past time we put microphones all on LEOS and cams on all cars.
johnclarke on April 23 at 9:03 p.m.
Way past time that A_P and his pointless comments are removed…..
misjustice on April 23 at 9:04 p.m.
“Chism then lunged at Riddell and was further retrained with the help of a third state trooper.”
Ummm, how was Chism “retrained”????? Surely, the author intended to write restrained???? Or, maybe not????
At any rate, in this instance, Chism seemed to be his own worst enemy. And now he sits at home, on paid leave….
misjustice on April 23 at 9:06 p.m.
johnclarke, I second that motion!
I have to hand it to him, however, he is consistent! ; )
BitofBacon on April 23 at 9:09 p.m.
I’d sure like to know what a WPS is. John-if the S-R bans the comments fromA_P, he will just reappear as another persona as he has so many times in the past. My theory is he’s always wanted to be a hero of some sort and just can’t come to grips that he never will be so he tries to take everyone else down with his pointless comments. Maybe he should be pitied more than anything else.
johnclarke on April 23 at 9:31 p.m.
Oh …BoB thanks for the info… I didn’t know that. I’ll move directly on to ignoring him, and perhaps feeling a little sorry. I’ve never known the WSP to be anything but professional. I sort of doubt these 3 officers hatched an evil plan to snare this fellow. I think they have better things to do with their time.
lewis8457 on April 23 at 10:42 p.m.
he was drunk and disorderly you would think with his past troubles he would have learned to be more cordial. I would imagine too that he was really drunk to be able to take five taser shocks with little or no effect.
Its hard to feel sorry for someone who could have just cooperated and nothing would have happened.
Another_Perspective on April 23 at 10:43 p.m.
We Know BoB’s badge number…
BitofBacon on April 23 at 10:53 p.m.
BoB doesn’t have a badge number
misjustice on April 23 at 11:14 p.m.
I see the typo, re; retrained has been corrected! ; )
PlanB on April 24 at 12:22 a.m.
Tomorrow, I plan on getting totally s**t faced, drive around ramming anything within the physical limits of my vehicle to hit until it becomes so completely disabled that it cannot move, so my employer will tell me that I must stay home, for an in-determinant time, with full pay, until I’m found innocent by a jury surrounded by a group of gun-toting co-workers, then my union will demand I be reinstated because they have violated my civil rights and everyone gets a 10% raise.
Censored on April 24 at 1:13 a.m.
Thumb and pinky injuries are signs of Boxer injuries and the lack of knowledge in tossing a punch.. the thumb would be left out in the open thus being bent back while hitting and the pinky because they hit like a sissy with the palmar surface and pinky toward said person. The entire story is BS notice how long it took for the WSP to get the reports.. they had to sit down and corroborate their stories to make sure they covered each other. It states in the story that one officer was getting off duty and turned the investigation over. BULL SH!!! they thrive on that stuff and get great OT pay. WSP has made it in the books with the SPD for lies in my eyes.
Erik_T on April 24 at 1:15 a.m.
PlanB, that is a great Plan B. (lol)
Censored on April 24 at 1:18 a.m.
For the above if you have never known the WSp to be anything but professional you have not driven from Spokane to Seattle.. They trap people 3 over or less to meet quota. Get out of mommies house and see the real world. All police boast “To protect and Serve” The question is Protect who and Serve what? They serve their own justice when they feel and protect the interest of the Gov. by generating revenue.
Censored on April 24 at 1:21 a.m.
Just so happens I saw a individual on the news that was wanted.. called the secrect wittness line and gave the guy on a silver platter as he is less than what people want. almost 2 months later they have done nothing. So for you people to think the police are there for you.. you are so wrong it may cost you your life. should I defend myself or call 911.. call 911 and find out. when you stop posting we will know the answer, you will be nothing more than a lost angel looking for home at that point.
Another_Perspective on April 24 at 2:50 a.m.
The Waaaaambulance is here for BoB and Misjustice. Happy date cretins.
booksandcoffee on April 24 at 4:45 a.m.
The police were there for ME that night. I drove past this guy just after he’d PLOWED his truck into Big Sandy (a HILLSIDE not a ditch!) blowing out the front tires. That takes speed. This is a place where far too many have DIED due to people doing STUPID THINGS on a stretch of 291 known by all to be extremely dangerous even on the best day. HE knows that hill well. As a neighbor he should care more. As a firefighter he should know better. MANY people had to go out in the middle of the night to clean up his mess. I saw that too.I don’t care what he did or didn’t do in the past, if I’d left home a few minutes earlier I could have been a statistic. What a fine birthday present that would have been for my kid. Come on people, get a clue. THANK YOU WSP!!!
caustin on April 24 at 8:38 a.m.
Incredulous is the assumtion that this is yet another (impeccable and complete) fact-filled report and so deserving the convicting comments. Really? Isn’t jumping in the jurors’ box a little premature? You know, like not gathering the facts and falsly accusing an innocent man of child pornography and destroying his life? Having a hard time seeing the wisdom of the ignorant.
eagleproducer on April 24 at 10:31 a.m.
booksandcoffee: How could his vehicle have been wrecked on Big Sandy when the report states he was stuck in a ditch at the end of his driveway? There is only one driveway going up Big Sandy and I know the people who live there and it’s not the Chism family. Lakeside High School is on the other side with no vehicle entrances until one crests the hill. I drive 291 from Spokane to Suncrest every weekday and I know about the danger of the “River Road” but I’m confused as to where you state this accident occurred. Please clarify.
booksandcoffee on April 25 at 2:56 a.m.
spoketucky, they got it wrong there is NO ditch. The deep tracks are still there in the sand. Nothing in his story makes any sense. I have puzzled over where the news folks got their info because they had it wrong when they reported it on TV early that morning.
booksandcoffee on April 25 at 3:20 a.m.
Look, I’m not the final authority on anything but I know where I was, when it was and what I saw both going out and on the way back. For clarification of what the almighty “they” are saying KXLY 4 has video
http://video.kxly.com/watch.php?id=11294
ultimately only 3 people know what really happened and the rest will be decided not here but elsewhere.
I stand behind my IRE about ALL the middle of the night bad driving, drunk butted, cell phone distracted radio adjusting can’t drive right even in the middle of a sunny day let alone the middle of the night, noodle brains that are a constant terror on 291, particularly from the bottom to the top of Big Sandy. In this instance he’s not unique.
booksandcoffee on April 25 at 3:23 a.m.
<embed src=”http://video.kxly.com/inline/swf/FlowPlayerLight.swf?config=%7Bembedded%3Atrue%2C%22controlBarGloss%22%3a%22normal%22%2c%22controlBarBackgroundColor%22%3a%220x3A5B7E%22%2cbaseURL%3A%27http%3A//video.kxly.com/swf%27%2CmenuItems%3A%5B0%2C1%2C1%2C0%2C1%2C1%2C0%5D%2CconfigFileName%3A%27http%3A%2F%2Fvideo.kxly.com%2Finline%2Fasync_scripts%2Fconfig.php%3Fembed%3Dtrue%26id%3D20474%27%7D” width=”320” height=”210” scale=”noscale” controlbargloss=”normal” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” allowfullscreen=”true” allowscriptaccess=”always” allownetworking=”all” pluginspage=”http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer“></embed>
booksandcoffee on April 25 at 3:26 a.m.
sorry, I’m not good at this link stuff just go check out kxly its there.